Shoutout to the family law clerk who talked me down

I was dead set on fighting my ex for full custody over our kid, no negotiation. But after talking to a clerk at the Edmonton courthouse for 45 minutes about the actual costs and timelines, I realized I'd be broke and worn out in 2 years with no guarantee. Has anyone else had a legal pro change your mind about a hard decision?

2 comments

2 Comments

taylor_flores1mo ago

Walked into that courthouse ready to go to war over custody and walked out with a parenting plan instead. The clerk laid out the timeline for me and I realized I'd be missing two years of my kid's life just sitting in courtrooms and waiting for hearings. They also showed me a spreadsheet of what other parents in my situation actually ended up paying versus what they thought they would. Made me take a hard look at whether I was fighting for my kid or just fighting because I was mad at my ex. Sometimes you gotta hear it from someone neutral who's seen it all before.

charles_chen931mo ago

Yeah but that's the thing though, nobody tells you how slow the whole system is until you're already in it. I've seen guys just sit on their hands for months waiting on a judge to read some papers, missing birthdays and school stuff the whole time. That spreadsheet thing is smart too because most people don't realize what they're actually asking for versus what's realistic. A lot of dads I know get hung up on the principle of it all and forget there's a kid who just wants both parents there. Good on you for actually listening to someone who knows the ropes.