[Solved] First Hearing Soon (Contact Order) What to take?

Hi there!

Sounds like you've done lots of homework!

Bullet points are a good idea. My strategy has been to use bullet points, and then to ask the judge if it would be helpful to the court to go into more detail, letting them know that you have evidence to back up your claims. (Although I am pretty sure text messages do not carry a huge amount of weight ...)

When the judge asks you to speak, say something like 'I can back up everything I want to say with records and evidence that I have collected here, but I may need some help to know what evidence is relevant.') Then launch into your bullet points and refer to the appropriate pages if you're asked.

When the other part or her representative is speaking, it is helpful to write down the main points that they make - so having a pen and paper to do that, will help you to respond well. (When they throw stuff out that is not true, better to say 'I don't accept that' rather than 'that's bullshit!)

Nobody will mind you reading from a text. In fact, it is very rare that people in court are not reading from something!

Probably the best way to get your information together is into a ring-binder. Get some dividers, and have one for Fb messages, one for texts, one for pics etc.

Anything in court that is particularly relevant will need three copies.

If it is possible not to be drawn into the emotion of the day (and not to rise to the bait of opponents solicitors) then you would be on solid ground. If you can relate every point you make to the wellbeing of your son, and not be drawn into mud-slinging, you will come across as reasonable.

Every judge I have seen has been very reasonable.
Good luck with it all

Thank You very much, that was really helpful. I will start working on the bullet points soon as i want to be 100% prepared. Thank you

Hi is this a direction hearing? if so it will be very quick, 15 minutes max, we have just had one and all that happened was mum said no, quite a few times, and offered mediation , so it’s now being heard again in feb , to see how they got on in mediation, if its still no which i expect it will be then it will go to another few months for a full hearing with full cafcass reports
Have cafcass phoned you or sent a letter saying they will, as be prepared, all they want to know is if you have any welfare issues over your child being with the mother, we were nice and said no, but oh boy she was not nice and basically blamed us for communication failing and my son not being capable as he didnt follow her instructions, To be honest we put so much time and effort into this day and we were totally deflated as she skipped out of the court room laughing. if she says no , no no , it will be adjourned. what i didn’t like is my son was not given the chance to respond to the cafcass report, it was like they believed her even though they kept saying if its true, we only got the letter the day before and there was a huge mistake on the part of cafcass , she had mis interrupted what the mum had said and scribbled it off the report
by all means be prepared but dont hope for to much the first hearing that way you wont be to upset

So tomorrow will be my first time time in the court, i have a feeling she will not show as she hasn't even spoken to CAFCASS even after numerous attempts to phone her but we'll see.

Good luck pal, hope it goes well.

Surely if it's the first hearing he can ask for an interim contact order even if the mum says no to everything else?

Unless there are serious welfare issues why would this be declined?

It shouldn't be seen elsewhere that 99.% interim contact is given if there are no welfare concerns. I got the CAFCASS letter through the post at the weekend and phoned them yesterday more on a fishing trip. I asked what if the ex failed to contact them or have the phone interview and I was told that it swing things in my favour.

The paper have been sent to the Ex and are still sitting at the post office so I'm half expecting she's going to ignore the hearing in for a shock as I managed to get it in a county court and not a family court.

Wiggyste,
How did you get on?

It shouldn't be seen elsewhere that 99.% interim contact is given if there are no welfare concerns.......Can you rephrase that? Got my mind boggled!

You asked, Unless there are serious welfare issues why would this be declined

I replied it shouldn't be what I mean in 99% of cases if there are no welfare issues then an interim contact will be granted.

You had me worried there! I'm going for interim contact with no welfare issues and I thought you meant it 99% of the time doesn't happen!

Hi,

We have a court order in place for the next 6 weeks and was able to negotiate dates and times of when i would have him during that time.
I then have to go back to the court where they will do the contact order. We both also have to attend a PIP (Parents Information Programme) session.
I took 3 folders containing the same evidence with roughly 200 pages in each and didn't use them, they didn't even give me chance to prove some of the lies she was saying.

I think a step in the right direction though.

That's good news. Why has the court not given you an interim order or have they just used another word for it with regards to these specific dates before you go back to court?

Is the PIP essentially mediation?

What exactly was said/done when you walked in the court room? I'm following in your footsteps very shortly....