directions hearing? Representing myself against litigious ex.

[tigermousing]

I have been in the court system for several years. DC is now six and this has been going on since he was a baby.

Basically ex wants DC to reside with him for a week, then me for a week. Right now he has alternate weekends and every other Wednesday. He also takes DC to football on Tuesday evenings which is personal agreement.

I used to get legal aid. He pays for himself. Due to his abusive nature to me I was awarded sole res. I made a personal arrangement where he sees DC more than the court order put in place. He has extra holiday days, etc.

Still he is trying to get this changed.

I have been called again to court. Its been so long ago since last case (judge said he couldnt take me to court again for two years) I don't know what to bring or do for first hearing! There's no mention of bringing paperwork.

Do I prepare a statement for this?

Feel lost.

Have a look at :

www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5g5tPp-sxrjOlwV_7gA0yELB1gw2TpW1

Explains the basics if you want to start somewhere.

Thanks for link!

You don't need to prepare a statement unless the court has asked you to. It may be helpful to prepare a position statement, no more than 2 sides of a4 setting out your position on what your ex has asked for.

Head doctor! Thanks so much. Are you a barrister or have gone through this yourself?

Is the hearing called a directions hearing? If so, it will be about directing how the proceedings should go, ie when documents should be submitted, when statements should go in, when any hearing should take place - basically a timetable.

(I'm a lawyer but have no experience in the family courts.)

Its a directions hearing. The previous judge put in a request that he should be at future hearings as ex is litigious. I guess there's no guarantee of that.
So for directions hearing I need a position statement?

You probably need a list of what directions (timetable etc) you want eg that each side do XYZ by certain dates, that a report from any kind of expert on children is produced by ABC date and just in case it ends up not being a directions hearing and things are sprung on you a note of what care arrangements you currently have and what you think is reasonable and would accept. Also what does the 6 year old want?

She wants things to stay the same

*He