Many people instinctively throw away an old calendar. Out with the old and in with the new. However, there is good reason for Texas residents to hold onto an old calendar if they are going to be filing for divorce or custody of their children.
When a person is going through litigation, they may experience brain fog. The countless questions that come from lawyers can leave a person’s brain spinning. However, if a person wants to win a custody action, they will be required to replicate their child’s health history, schedule and important events in their life. An old calendar can serve as a memory aid and help a parent provide details that can make or break their case.
If a parent wants to seek child support, the amount of time that both parents spend with the child will be calculated. If there are significant deviations from an intended parenting schedule, this can affect the amount a person receives for child support. An old calendar is a great way to either show consistency when spending time with a child or to prove that a parent did not spend time with the child.
Courts are going to look at how much it costs to raise the child. It can be easy to forget the details. An old calendar can jog a parent’s memory and help them to calculate easily forgotten expenses, like co-pays when visiting doctors or traveling for school sports.
It is common for parents to have questions when they are seeking custody of their children. A family law attorney might be able to answer these questions and provide practical assistance to a parent, like helping the parent draw up a child’s activity schedule or other evidence that would be needed in their child custody case. The lawyer may also represent the client in court, arguing for their client’s fitness as a parent.