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"The First Appointment (FDA) is where the court decides your case or tests the evidence."
The FDA is a case management hearing, not a trial. The judge looks at what is agreed and what is in dispute, and gives directions on anything still needed — further disclosure, questionnaire answers, valuations. No evidence is tested and no decision is made on the outcome. Treat it as a planning meeting, not a hearing to win or lose.
"A non-molestation order is only ever a short-term, temporary measure."
Where the court finds that risk is ongoing, a non-molestation order can be made to run for a long period, including until each child protected by it reaches the age of 18, extending to cover school and other places the children attend.
You are not behind. You are exactly where someone in your position is meant to be.
Bridge The Gap
"The judge will see right through them."
Judges see hundreds of cases. They need evidence, not emotions. Coming prepared with documents matters far more than how wronged you feel.