how to rebut a lawyer in a custody matter

by Malachi Cassin 10 min read

How can a lawyer help you?

A lawyer can assist you effectively by finding flaws in the evidence that the court has considered before and improving the standing of evidence that is new to the court. As an example, sometimes a former partner falsely alleges that the opposing party committed domestic violence. It is important to contest the validity ...

What does it mean to have sole custody of a child?

1. Whether the alleged abuser has demonstrated that giving sole or joint physical or legal custody of a child to him or her is in the best interest of the child. The child's preference for frequent and continuing contact with both parents or with the noncustodial parent may not be used to rebut the presumption.

How long does a restraining order last?

The different types of restraining orders include an Emergency Protective Order (EPO), which can last up to seven days, a temporary restraining order (TRO), which lasts between 20 and 25 days, ...

What Is a Rebuttable Presumption? How Does It Affect My Civil Case?

Every legal case imposes a “burden of proof” on the person seeking relief. Think of it as a certain level and type of evidence required to win a case.

What is a Rebuttable Presumption?

A rebuttable presumption requires a judge to reach a certain conclusion before hearing any evidence unless the evidence later convinces the judge to reach a different conclusion.

How To Rebut the Presumption

If the presumption is not rebutted, the judge must apply the presumption and decide accordingly. A legal presumption must be rebutted by “clear and convincing” evidence (more than a mere likelihood) supporting a different conclusion.

How Does a Rebuttable Presumption Affect My Case?

The rebuttable-presumption component complicates your case, whether you are the the person who wants the presumption to apply or are the person seeking to rebut the presumption. This requirement holds the person attempting to rebut the presumption to a higher burden of proof and can be very confusing for persons attempting to represent themselves.

We Can Help

If you are looking for effective legal representation in Arkansas that won’t break the bank, look for us at LionLegalServices.com. We will help you figure out your options and what the likely realistic result is in your circumstances. Say the word and we’ll come Roaring to the Rescue!

Call For A Free Case Evaluation

Case evaluations are completely free. Call Lion Legal Services today at (501) 227-ROAR (that’s 227-7627) or Email Us to set up a free consultation.

How to respond to false allegations?

The best tack to take when responding to false allegations is to write a serious, unemotional examination of the subjects raised. Repeat an allegation, then explain dispassionately the ways in which it is inaccurate. Then proceed to the next allegations.

Can you recover damages for defamation?

The law allows a person to recover damages for defamation when the false accusations are passed on to third parties and cause harm to the person being discuss ed. Libel and slander are slightly different offenses. Slander occurs when someone speaks badly about another person, and the remarks are heard by a third person, ...

Can you sue someone for defamation?

Damages for Defamation. Anyone who is a victim of defamation can bring a lawsuit against the person responsible for damages to his reputation. In order to be defamatory, the statement must hold up the subject of the statement to scorn, hatred, ridicule, disgrace or contempt in the mind of any considerable and respectable segment of the community.

Is it defamation to make false statements?

If the false statements about a person are made only to that person, it is not defamation, since there could be no damage to the subject's reputation or business. However, that does not mean that the subject should not respond by letter, and a strong written challenge to the lies sometimes goes a long way toward keeping them from spreading.

What is it called when someone's false reports harm another person's reputation or his livelihood?

When someone's false reports harm another person's personal or professional reputation or his livelihood, it is called defamation. The law allows a person to recover damages for defamation when the false accusations are passed on to third parties and cause harm to the person being discussed. Libel and slander are slightly different offenses.

Can you throw out evidence of a character trait?

You can throw out evidence of a character trait if it is offered to prove that you acted in accordance with the trait on a particular occasion. Courts see this evidence as inherently prejudicial and irrelevant.

What is due process clause?

The Due Process Clause prevents the government from introducing any statement that was made involuntarily. You can get a confession thrown out if it was made involuntarily. You should challenge a confession as involuntary before trial. File a Motion to Suppress.

What is the purpose of challenge a witness's competency?

Challenge a witness’s competency. A witness is only competent to testify about an event if he has personal knowledge of it. Object to any witness who begins testifying about an event without first establishing that he observed it.

What is the purpose of propensity evidence?

Propensity evidence may, however, be used to prove motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, absence of mistake, or lack of accident . A classic example is to prove “modus operandi”; that is, a criminal’s unique way of committing a crime.

What is the purpose of the Exclusionary Rule?

The government also wants to encourage police to adhere to the Constitution when gathering evidence. Under the “exclusionary rule,” courts will throw out evidence seized without a search warrant to induce compliance.

What is evidence in a trial?

Evidence is any type of proof that can be presented during a trial to convince the judge and jury of facts in the case. This includes oral testimony, documents, public records, and objects. To get evidence thrown out in court, you’ll need to prove that it’s unreliable, prejudicial, or not authentic.

What does "move to strike" mean?

Move to strike evidence that lacks a proper foundation. A document cannot be entered into evidence unless someone lays a foundation for it. This means that the person offering the evidence must produce testimony sufficient to prove that the item is what the party claims it is.

What to do if you are late to court?

If you’re late, don’t show up, or don’t let your ex know where/when/for how long your taking the kids then there’s going to be an issue.

What happens if a non-custodial parent doesn't pay child support?

Myth #7: If the non-custodial parent doesn’t pay child support, the custodial parent loses their custody rights. This isn’t true, as it is entirely up to the court to decide how much the non-custodial parent must pay in order for them to have equal custody rights (or any at all).

Is court case stressful?

Court cases are very stressful to children (even though they have no idea what’s going on) and too much stress can lead to many child hood issues like depression, anxiety or even delinquency later in life. Myth #2: The best parent is the one with custody. Again, not always true.

Steven Howell Marcus

At the heart of the matter is one of equity and fairness. For example, a Judge would not be overly likely to deprive spousal support to a wife that we unemployed throughout the marriage to raise the kids for 20 years, who in a momentary lapse of common sense, threw a plastic cup that left a 1/4 inch scratch on your arm.

Laurie Peters

You cannot use the police reports because they are hearsay, however you can and should subpoena the police officers involved to testify and they can refer to their reports to refresh their recollection. You can also file a request for Judicial notice and can include certified copies of the convictions.. which would be conclusive evidence.

Edna Carroll Straus

The police report, and the record of the conviction-- but they will be here safe and that she denies that she was in fact convicted. If she testified under all that she was not convicted, you can use you're saying to impeach her on the stand.#N#You need counsel...

Andrew Steven True

This is a question better suited for a family law attorney. I will repost it there for you.

What is peer review in custody?

Recently courts in custody cases have used the term “peer review” to describe an expert retained by a party to rebut the court appointed expert in a child custody case.

Can a judge read a report without consent?

It has been held that a judge cannot read the report in advance without consent of the parties, however most attorneys do give their consent, for various reasons. You may consider withholding your consent in the appropriate case, especially where you are considering objecting to the report coming into evidence (discussed below).

Do courts have assignment orders for forensics?

For the last several years, courts have been issuing fairly detailed assignment orders when they order forensics. There does not appear to be any universally followed or standard order, although most are similar to one another.

Is it legal to obtain expert notes prior to trial?

The right of a party to obtain the expert’s notes prior to the trial is not settled under the law. However many orders of appointment give the parties that right, and unless appealed or stayed, the order of appointment is a court order that must be followed.

What is the advantage of having a forensic expert go first?

The advantage for the court of having the expert go first is that may encourage a settlement.

Can you voir dire a witness?

Unless the parties stipulate to qualifications, you are entitled to voir dire the witness on the issue of whether he or she is qualified as an expert witness. If you just consent to the expert being qualified you may be precluded from asking questions about his training or experience.

What type of expert is the most difficult to cross examine?

A forensic psychologist is probably the most difficult type of expert to cross examine. Ideally, you should know as much about psychology as he or she does, which is only going to be possible if you have your own PHD in the field. Also because psychology is not a “hard science”, it is difficult to get a firm “grip” on the witness during cross examination.