Driving-Related Issues To Bring Up In A Custody Hearing

There are many reasons that you might not want your ex-spouse to get custody of your children, including a selection of rational and non-rational ideas. The latter may be purely emotional, and won't have much merit when you're fighting for custody in court, but concerns about the former can definitely impact custody hearings. Judges will often prevent a parent from having custody if he or she has been abusive or has substance abuse issues, but there are many other things that you can bring up if you have concerns about your ex's ability to have custody. Driving might not be the first topic that you consider, but here are some driving-related issues to discuss with your attorney.

Past Road Rage Incidents

It's possible that your ex-spouse has had a history with road rage. Some of these incidents may have led to criminal charges, while others may have slipped under the radar of the law. You'll need to prove that road rage is an issue for your ex, but doing so successfully can often be helpful in your effort to prevent him or her from getting custody of your children. Your attorney may argue that your ex's short temper and history with road rage could put your children at risk while they travel with him or her.

Repeated Vehicle Disrepair

Some vehicle owners are attentive about getting automotive problems fixed in a timely manner, while others are not. The latter type of individual may even have received fix-it tickets from the police — tickets that compel the recipient to promptly fix an automotive issue because it's a safety risk. You might understandably be nervous about your children riding in a vehicle with someone who has shown little attentiveness when it comes to fixing his or her vehicle. Bad brakes, non-functioning taillights, and a host of other issues can increase this parent's risk of being in an accident that harms your children.

DUI Conviction

If your ex-spouse has received one or more convictions for driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, this is definitely a point that you'll want to address during your child custody hearings in court. Driving drunk is one of the worst ways to jeopardize the health of the passengers in the vehicle, and you may have a legitimate concern that your ex will load your children into his or her vehicle after drinking and drive somewhere. If you can effectively make these arguments with the help of your attorney, it may assist you in getting full custody.

Contact a child custody attorney like Karen Robins Carnegie PLC to learn more. 


Share