In contested custody litigation, there’s no downside to kindness
Posted Saturday, March 4th, 2023 by Gregory Forman
Filed under Child Custody, Litigation Strategy, Not South Carolina Specific, Of Interest to Family Court Litigants, Of Interest to Family Law Attorneys
One of the quickest, easiest, and most effective “fixes” I can counsel my clients to do in contested custody litigation is to be kind to
In a dysfunctional parenting relationship, there’s better than even odds that you’re the problem
Posted Saturday, March 4th, 2023 by Gregory Forman
Filed under Attorney-Client Relations, Child Custody, Litigation Strategy, Of Interest to Family Court Litigants, Of Interest to Family Law Attorneys, South Carolina Specific
Most of my contested custody litigation, especially those requiring trial, involve parents in a dysfunctional co-parenting relationship. The inability of these parents to get along
How to better survive cross examination
Posted Saturday, February 18th, 2023 by Gregory Forman
Filed under Litigation Strategy, Not South Carolina Specific, Of Interest to Family Court Litigants, Of Interest to Family Law Attorneys
Too often witnesses, especially litigants, treat cross examination as a battle of wits with the attorney questioning them. This is a mistake. The easiest way
How a family court client can assist counsel during trial
Posted Tuesday, February 14th, 2023 by Gregory Forman
Filed under Attorney-Client Relations, Litigation Strategy, Not South Carolina Specific, Of Interest to Family Court Litigants, Of Interest to Family Law Attorneys
This is part two of a two-part blog inspired/encouraged by a client whose custody case I tried this week. Whereas part-one focused on what the
Posted Sunday, February 12th, 2023 by Gregory Forman
Filed under Attorney-Client Relations, Litigation Strategy, Not South Carolina Specific, Of Interest to Family Court Litigants, Of Interest to Family Law Attorneys
This is part one of a two-part blog inspired/encouraged by a client whose custody case I tried this week. Throughout the process she found trial
Praising the other parent in a custody trial
Posted Saturday, February 11th, 2023 by Gregory Forman
Filed under Child Custody, Litigation Strategy, Miscellaneous, Not South Carolina Specific, Of Interest to Family Court Litigants, Of Interest to Family Law Attorneys
The past few years I begun a practice of having my custody clients develop a few solid minutes of testimony praising the other parent. Such
How to get 50/50 physical custody when you don’t have custody (and why it’s unlikely to happen)
Posted Friday, August 26th, 2022 by Gregory Forman
Filed under Child Custody, Litigation Strategy, Of Interest to Family Court Litigants, Of Interest to Family Law Attorneys, South Carolina Specific
A significant number of potential custody clients come to my office with the goal of 50/50 physical custody. Often these are fathers who are not
Picking good witnesses for custody cases
Posted Friday, July 29th, 2022 by Gregory Forman
Filed under Child Custody, Litigation Strategy, Not South Carolina Specific, Of Interest to Family Court Litigants, Of Interest to Family Law Attorneys
Some custody cases can be tried with the parents being the primary witnesses. But when there are substantial disputes about who the children are more
Collect evidence before filing for contempt
Posted Thursday, July 28th, 2022 by Gregory Forman
Filed under Contempt/Enforcement of Orders, Litigation Strategy, Of Interest to Family Court Litigants, Of Interest to Family Law Attorneys, South Carolina Specific
Earlier in my career I lost a sizable number of contempt petitions I prosecuted because my client lacked the evidence to substantiate his or her
The pitfalls of mandatory pre-litigation mediation provisions
Posted Tuesday, May 17th, 2022 by Gregory Forman
Filed under Litigation Strategy, Mediation/Alternative Dispute Resolution, Not South Carolina Specific, Of Interest to Family Court Litigants, Of Interest to Family Law Attorneys
I increasingly see provisions in custody or support agreements that require mandatory mediation before either party can file a mediation case. Sometimes these agreements are
