Child Support Hearings: 4 Things You Should Not Do

So, you are going to be going to a child support hearing in the near future. It will be left up to a complete stranger to decide just how much money in child support you will be receiving or that you will owe. So, as you prepare for your upcoming hearing, it is important that you be aware of a few things that you should never do:

1. Don't Forget to Check and Read Your Mail.

It is easy to ignore your mail when you are completely overwhelmed; however, when you have a child support hearing coming up, you must make sure that you check every piece of your mail and ensure that you are reading your mail from all family law attorneys and the court. It is a good idea to read it, set it aside for a little while, and read over it again. You may have missed something the first time. Also, if it asks for you to take action, make sure you do so within the time frame given. Otherwise, it could come back to haunt you.

2. Don't Manipulate the Information That You Supply to the Court.

There will be paperwork that you have to fill out and turn in to the court. It is imperative that this paperwork is filled out to the best of your ability and with 100 percent accurate information. Do not over-report your income or even try to report income that does not exist in an attempt to alter the child support that the court will award. More often than not, the judge will be able to tell and it only hurts you.

3. Don't Be Late to the Hearing or Miss the Hearing Altogether.

When it comes to the day of your child support hearing, it is very important that you make sure that you arrive on time. In fact, make sure that you leave your house extra early so that you can arrive at the courthouse early – in other words, expect for there to be a traffic jam or a long line at the coffee shop that will slow you down. This will help ensure you make a solid first impression.

4. Don't Get Off Topic During the Hearing.

Remember that you are there for the judge to determine the amount of child support that you owe or will receive and nothing more. Therefore, you are not there to alter your child custody arrangement and the judge does not even have the proper authority to do so. For that reason, stay on topic to avoid unnecessary distractions.