Advice offered on getting child custody is pretty much the same; it is almost generic in nature. But every child is different, every case is unique and every judge has his own views. Each individual case is independent of the other. Nonetheless there are a few issues all parents should fully grasp in order to have a fighting chance at winning the custody battle. It is probably the biggest fight either parent has ever fought and its best they enter the battlefield fully equipped.

It goes without saying that the better prepared you are, the better your chances of winning the case. Every decision you make at every step either adds or detracts weight from your custody battle, and you do want to get custody of your child, don't you? So wherever you are in the process, it is imperative that you familiarize yourself with 2 vital truths about family courts.

1. The law will only work for you if you understand it in its entirety

You need to be fully aware of what the law says about your particular state of affairs. You and only you know your situation inside out. The most competent attorney does not know details like you do. Be very cognizant of the small, supposedly inconsequential aspects of your case. The best attorneys can sometimes miss them, but you should not. The small 'unimportant' points could turn out to be the fulcrum on which your case rests.

A case in point - while trying to get custody for her children, Mary's husband had often threatened to abscond with the children. She mentioned it to her attorney, but he wasn't alert enough to pick up on it. Had she in turn been more attentive and pushed the matter, it could have translated into reason for granting her ex-husband only supervised visits. Little things do go a long way in making all the difference!

2. This is a court, sometimes you have to fight for justice

Enter court with a humble attitude. Do not assume that you will automatically get custody of your children. Be prepared to fight, if you want to get custody of the children. And to win the fight, you need every advantage on your side. This means you need to hire an attorney of high repute and expertise who knows and understands the court system and the judge.

Further, your parenting skills and lifestyle may be put under a microscope. Do not be intimidated or humiliated by it. Nobody at court knows where you come from or what your story is, and frankly no one really cares. It's sad but true. It is in your own best interests that you fully acquaint yourself with family law, at least the aspects of it that pertain to getting custody of the children.

The more you understand about the process, the time involved and the people who play the role of decision makers, the better prepared you are. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Be prepared to fight the battle of your life and get custody of your child!