What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? missouri
I want to thank everyone who has given me such good advice on this forum thus far. I really appreciate it! Here's my new question. Right now, my stbx and I have worked out an informal custody agreement since we are in the process of divorce. Nothing is in writing or formalized with the courts. We agreed to mediate using one attorney and I have paid my half of the fees and am waiting for him to do the same (if he chooses not to do it quickly, I'm going to rethink this and pay for it all myself to get it OVER).
So far he has informally agreed to let me have sole physical custody of our daughter who is very young due to extenuating health conditions (major heart attack, five-way bypass, fully disabled as a result). He left our family nearly 8 weeks ago and has done nothing to establish a permanent residence for himself. He is presently living in his sole propreitorship business (illegally, I might add) and when I asked him about his plans for a residence he informed me that he intends to move back to Illinois.
I wanted to ask how this could affect our custody arrangement...he plans to maintain his biz in MO where we live but commute back and forth at least on the weekends. Our arrangement right now gives him a weekday with his daughter because it was his designated "day off" from his business. I don't want him to be able to meet me at the designated drop off point (which has been his business) and then just be able to drive her across state lines. We will share legal custody, and he insists he can take her anywhere and do whatever he wants with her. He went so far as the threaten that if I don't keep our current informal arrangement going, he would call the police and tell them I kidnapped our child. Currently, she lives with me full-time and I don't think this would gain him favor with the local law enforcement, but I leave that to the experts to decide.
I really want to get this done correctly so I don't have to go back to court and modify right away...but wonder if he doesn't have the Illinois address at the time we present our paperwork if this is going to be a big mess. I wouldn't expect the judge to look favorably upon someone who doesn't have a place to live with a shower or tub or kitchen facilities, but I don't want to be naive and then find that he gets more than I expect.
Thoughts and advice are appreciated.
Mamaworks
I want to thank everyone who has given me such good advice on this forum thus far. I really appreciate it! Here's my new question. Right now, my stbx and I have worked out an informal custody agreement since we are in the process of divorce. Nothing is in writing or formalized with the courts. We agreed to mediate using one attorney and I have paid my half of the fees and am waiting for him to do the same (if he chooses not to do it quickly, I'm going to rethink this and pay for it all myself to get it OVER).
So far he has informally agreed to let me have sole physical custody of our daughter who is very young due to extenuating health conditions (major heart attack, five-way bypass, fully disabled as a result). He left our family nearly 8 weeks ago and has done nothing to establish a permanent residence for himself. He is presently living in his sole propreitorship business (illegally, I might add) and when I asked him about his plans for a residence he informed me that he intends to move back to Illinois.
I wanted to ask how this could affect our custody arrangement...he plans to maintain his biz in MO where we live but commute back and forth at least on the weekends. Our arrangement right now gives him a weekday with his daughter because it was his designated "day off" from his business. I don't want him to be able to meet me at the designated drop off point (which has been his business) and then just be able to drive her across state lines. We will share legal custody, and he insists he can take her anywhere and do whatever he wants with her. He went so far as the threaten that if I don't keep our current informal arrangement going, he would call the police and tell them I kidnapped our child. Currently, she lives with me full-time and I don't think this would gain him favor with the local law enforcement, but I leave that to the experts to decide.
I really want to get this done correctly so I don't have to go back to court and modify right away...but wonder if he doesn't have the Illinois address at the time we present our paperwork if this is going to be a big mess. I wouldn't expect the judge to look favorably upon someone who doesn't have a place to live with a shower or tub or kitchen facilities, but I don't want to be naive and then find that he gets more than I expect.
Thoughts and advice are appreciated.
Mamaworks