Winning Custody with AI as Co-Counsel
How I won a 2-year custody battle using AI when I couldn't afford lawyers
The Numbers
9
CPS Reports
All cleared
2 years
Battle Duration
March 2023 - Jan 2025
Won
Outcome
Full custody secured
The Situation
March 2023. Separated. Three kids. Ex-wife starts filing false CPS reports. Can't afford lawyers at $350/hour. Dad dying of Parkinson's. Mom paying rent. Building a business from zero.
The Attacks
- • 9 CPS reports filed over 2 years
- • False allegations of abuse, neglect, drug use
- • Chemical exposure incident weaponized
- • Weaponized support (mushrooms, therapy) into "evidence"
- • April 23, 2025: Under oath admitted filing reports then used them as "independent validation"
Most people would break. I architected a response.
The Strategy
I didn't try to out-lawyer her. I built a documentation system that made lying impossible to sustain.
Documentation Systems
- Timestamped everything: Every interaction, every communication, every incident. Not narratives—forensic records.
- Pattern evidence architecture: Connected 7 prior false emergency attempts to current CPS reports. Not isolated incidents—systematic behavior.
- Impeachment preparation: Anticipated testimony, prepared cross-reference evidence in advance. April 23 smoking gun wasn't luck—it was prepared architecture.
- AI as legal research engine: Used Claude to analyze case law, identify relevant precedents, draft motions, prepare arguments.
- Emotional regulation protocols: Never reacted emotionally in writing. Every communication was strategic, documented, court-ready.
How AI Actually Helped
Legal research: "What's the precedent for harassment by proxy?" Claude found relevant cases in seconds that would take lawyers hours.
Document drafting: "Draft a motion to compel based on this evidence." AI provided structure, I added specifics and strategy.
Pattern analysis: "Connect these 9 incidents into a coherent timeline showing systematic behavior." AI helped organize chaos into prosecutable patterns.
Strategy validation: "Is this approach likely to work given these facts?" AI as sounding board for legal strategy.
The Results
Victory
- All 9 CPS reports cleared: Every single allegation investigated and dismissed
- April 23, 2025 smoking gun: She admitted under oath to filing reports then using them as "independent validation"
- Pattern evidence established: Connected 7 prior false emergency attempts to systematic harassment
- Won custody: January 2025, secured custody of all three children
- Cost: $0 in legal fees: Represented myself pro se with AI as co-counsel
The Bigger Win
My kids saw their dad not break under pressure. They watched me build systems while defending them. They learned: You don't need money to fight for what matters. You need clarity, documentation, and strategic thinking.
What I Learned
Documentation beats argumentation
I didn't try to "win" arguments in court. I presented timestamped, cross-referenced evidence that made the pattern undeniable. The facts argued for themselves.
AI is most powerful when you can't afford the alternative
If I had $50K for lawyers, I might have won differently. But I wouldn't have learned to use AI as co-counsel. The constraint forced the innovation.
Emotional regulation is the superpower
Never once did I respond emotionally in writing. Every communication was strategic. She attacked; I documented. She escalated; I stayed calm. She lied under oath; I had the receipts.
The Father's Playbook
I'm building a course with all the systems, templates, and strategies that worked. Free resources for fathers in crisis. Full course for those who want the complete playbook.
What's included:
- • Documentation systems that turn attacks into evidence
- • AI as co-counsel: exact prompts and workflows
- • Communication protocols for high-conflict custody
- • Pattern recognition for institutional manipulation
- • Court strategy for pro se representation
- • Emotional regulation under fire
Coming soon • Free resources + premium course
The exact playbook that won custody of my three kids