| What fathers are fighting a restraining order during a | | | | delusion that I would be informed by the court that |
| custody case, the renewal of the order's date is | | | | the time for renewal was due and that I should be |
| important to remember. It might sound obvious, but | | | | prepared to defend myself against the action, much |
| in this article I'm going to explain why YOU need to | | | | as I'd been served the legal papers the first time. I |
| take the greatest of care not to let this date pass | | | | was stupid, and it cost me more time away from my |
| you by, or underestimate its importance. | | | | two sons. The court automatically granted my |
| When you're fighting a restraining order, it's incredibly | | | | ex-wife with a renewal of the restraining order |
| easy to let the court hearing slip by, un-noticed, or | | | | without me realising until it was too late. The first I |
| fail to prepare some simple, crucial steps for your | | | | knew about it was when I was standing on her |
| defense. Fighting a restraining order can be a | | | | doorstep trying to visit my kids on the day of the |
| harrowing process, and you're going to feel a lot of | | | | original expiration. I thought that the time had passed |
| pressure - that's especially true if you're also going | | | | and that I was once again safe to visit, trusting that |
| through a legal divorce, as well as trying to win a | | | | by hiring an expensive lawyer I'd been told reliable |
| custody battle and fight a restraining order! But each | | | | advice. Some time in a police cell and a trip back to |
| year, thousands of American fathers fall into these | | | | court made me understand just where I'd gone |
| types of easily-avoidable custody traps, and losing | | | | wrong. Don't let this happen to you. You only get |
| the right to see their kids - often for years at a time. | | | | one chance to see your kids grow up. |
| During these difficult times, it's very important to be | | | | Thankfully, in my case, I got the restraining order |
| mindful of the date of the renewal of order, because | | | | removed because I was able to successfully defend |
| you need to be aware of one thing: the court can, | | | | myself from the same action the following year - this |
| and in many cases WILL, automatically renew the | | | | time defending myself. I ended my three-year |
| order should the plaintiff request it. Your ex doesn't | | | | divorce and custody fight a lot more broke and a lot |
| even need to re-hire a lawyer, or produce new or | | | | more wise about the nightmare facing American dads |
| better evidence. So if you're fighting a restraining | | | | in today's custody courts. |
| order due to phony abuse allegations, the same false | | | | So whilst fighting a restraining order, always be |
| "evidence" can continue to haunt you well into the | | | | aware of any important dates relating to the case |
| future, far beyond the original expiry date. | | | | and remember, it's up to YOU to know them, |
| When fighting my own restraining order, I came up | | | | prepare for them, and win in court. Your kids are |
| against this exact problem. I was under some kind of | | | | depending on it. |