Losing custody in Michigan doesn’t mean that you’ll never see your child again. If you know what went wrong, you could work on fixing the issue so that you can regain custody of your child. The judge might grant you custody if you can prove that you’re dedicated to providing a safe home for your child.
How do you regain child custody?
To start, you could talk to your attorney about why you lost custody in the first place. In some cases, you might have lost custody simply because you violated the judge’s orders even if you didn’t harm the child. Most judges expect parents to work together when they deal with child custody issues, so when you ignore a court order, it could send the message that you’re not willing to act in the child’s best interests.
In more serious cases, you might have lost custody over accusations of violence, abandonment or drug abuse. Your family law attorney may recommend going to rehab or taking anger management classes to show the judge that you’re willing to improve your behavior. If you lost contact with the child, your attorney may suggest ways that you can reconnect. You might need to take the issue to court if you have visitation rights and your former spouse won’t let you see your child.
Once you’re ready to seek custody again, you could ask the judge for an in-home evaluation. A psychologist could come to your house and evaluate your current living situation. They can interview you, your child and your former spouse during this time. If your situation has improved in the past weeks or months, the judge might give you custody of your child again.
What if you think your case is beyond help?
Most judges want both parents to have a relationship with their child. As a result, few cases are beyond help if you’re willing to put in the work. An attorney may be able to tell you what you need to regain custody and show the judge that you’re willing to become a better parent and role model.