| Fathers involved in child custody cases can face a | | | | times the father was denied visitation. Participation |
| much tougher road to winning their case. Even | | | | and intent are keys to the courts decision, and it is |
| though the court system has become more balanced | | | | essential for dad to demonstrate his desire to be |
| in their custody appointments between men and | | | | involved with the child's life. |
| women, there is still an inherent prejudice that | | | | Tracking financial participation is also a good way to |
| fathers often face. | | | | demonstrate how much input the father has in the |
| Mothers tend to appeal more to the court for three | | | | daily routine of the child. This includes costs |
| basic reasons. The first one is the societal influences | | | | associated with food, clothing, medical care, and |
| that say a child receives better care with their | | | | extracurricular activities. Even if the father makes |
| mother. Secondly, the court tends to view both the | | | | payments directly to the mother instead of buying |
| mother and child as dependants, while the father is | | | | the needed items, it can still be tracked as an |
| seen as an independent. Finally, motherhood in itself is | | | | expense. Having an accurate log of financial cost |
| deemed a natural instinct and occurrence, while | | | | expenditures will not only help provide evidence, but |
| fatherhood is more participatory. While all of these | | | | the information can also be used in child support |
| court influences are debatable at best, the fact that | | | | hearings. |
| they have been ingrained in the roots of our culture | | | | The final type of evidence that fathers should collect |
| makes them very prominent. | | | | is any observations of suspicious behavior from the |
| For a father to succeed in winning child custody, his | | | | mother. This can include drug and alcohol abuse, |
| approach must concentrate on proving that his | | | | adulterous behavior, work performance, and |
| guardianship is the best option for the child's growth | | | | influencing of the child through bribery and slander. All |
| and development. While a mother may be able to win | | | | of these behavior patterns could drastically change |
| a close case based solely on the influences discussed | | | | the outcome of a child custody case, but the court |
| earlier, the father typically has to provide more | | | | will not accept any accusations without documented |
| substantial evidence. For this reason, it is important | | | | proof. In some cases, this may require the hiring of |
| for dad to build an indisputable appeal with | | | | child investigator to secure indisputable evidence. |
| documentation. | | | | Fathers typically have to prove their worth as a |
| There are several items that a male custody | | | | custody candidate in a more convincing fashion then |
| candidate should be tracking throughout the custody | | | | mothers. This makes it important for dad to keep |
| process. The most important is the amount of quality | | | | accurate records of both his involvement with the |
| time spent with their children. By keeping an accurate | | | | child as well as the activities of the mother. Fathers |
| log of the dates, times, and activities, the father will | | | | need to be able to show that their parenting |
| have be able to prove his involvement in the child's | | | | influence and living situation provides a distinct |
| daily life. In cases where the mother makes visitation | | | | advantage for the positive growth and development |
| difficult or impossible, it should be noted how many | | | | of the child. |