By National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges

This guide is intended to be used by battered women who are representing themselves, without an attorney, in court cases involving child custody. It includes chapters on finding an attorney, financial considerations, custody and divorce mediation, gathering evidence for trial, unsupervised visitation and safety planning, tips for dealing with custody evaluators, guidelines for selecting an expert witness, relocation, and many more. However, it is not a recommendation to go into court unrepresented. In fact, we recommend strongly that you seek legal advice from a lawyer trained on issues of domestic violence if there is any dispute or conflict about custody and visitation.