T
tward
Guest
What is the name of your state?
i am in texas.
i have a 6 yr old daughter. three years ago i moved to dallas, two hours away from her father. i let her remain with her father and step mother because they had a stable family unit that i felt was better for my daughter at the time. i saw her frequently on weekends. last year they filed custody papers. we have joint custody but becuase i lived over 100 miles away he was the custodial parent with the sole right to determine her residence. i was ordered to pay child support. my family lives 15 minutes from them. in april i came "home" to my families farm to visit and also to have a conference with my daughters teacher. the teacher let slip that my daughter was no longer living with her step mom as there seemed to be problems in the home. after school i confronted her father and found out he and his wife were getting a divorce and my daughter had been living with her grandmother for a couple weeks. he agreed to let my daughter stay the weekend with me. this was friday. on sunday his wife called me to tell me the reason they were divorcing. she said she had caught him watching thru the bathroom window while her 13 yr old daughter was showering. that night i went back to dallas, quit my job on monday and moved to my families farm. later that week i talked him into letting our daughter stay with me for awhile. she has been with me every since, that was april 22nd. just a few weeks ago i told him it was ridiculous for me to be paying child support while she lives wiht me. he said if i would pay to have the custody papers done giving me custody he would sign them. at the time he was coming to my house every day and talking about us getting back together. i had told him from the beginning that wouldnt happen. now that i am in a situation to get the custody papers he says he will not sign them, and in fact wants our daughter living with him again. she wants to be with me, has nightmares that someone will take her from me. he smokes marijuana almost every day, and i have reason to believe he has done so around our daughter. he has no problems using drugs or drinking then putting her in the car with him. also he works nights and leaves our daughter with his elderly mother. his sister and her 5 children also live with his mother, but his sister works nights too. my daughter has told me many times that she hates staying there becuase they are mean to her and she is made to sleep on the floor or couch. when shes with him he leaves her with his mother while he works, sleeps, and runs the streets. and they allow my daughter to run the streets. i desperately want my daughter with me...but i cannot afford a lawyer. i am not working right now and am having difficulty finding a job. also i just found out im pregnant. i have been in a relationship for 3 yrs, but not married. i have been told this will be help against me becuase im having a child out of wedlock. which i think is crap this day and age...but oh well. i have been told to involve cps, to file a material change of circumstance, to file a motion to modify...all sorts of things. i have to admit im a lil overwhelmed and not sure the best action to take to ensure my daughter will remain with me. can someone please help?!?
i am in texas.
i have a 6 yr old daughter. three years ago i moved to dallas, two hours away from her father. i let her remain with her father and step mother because they had a stable family unit that i felt was better for my daughter at the time. i saw her frequently on weekends. last year they filed custody papers. we have joint custody but becuase i lived over 100 miles away he was the custodial parent with the sole right to determine her residence. i was ordered to pay child support. my family lives 15 minutes from them. in april i came "home" to my families farm to visit and also to have a conference with my daughters teacher. the teacher let slip that my daughter was no longer living with her step mom as there seemed to be problems in the home. after school i confronted her father and found out he and his wife were getting a divorce and my daughter had been living with her grandmother for a couple weeks. he agreed to let my daughter stay the weekend with me. this was friday. on sunday his wife called me to tell me the reason they were divorcing. she said she had caught him watching thru the bathroom window while her 13 yr old daughter was showering. that night i went back to dallas, quit my job on monday and moved to my families farm. later that week i talked him into letting our daughter stay with me for awhile. she has been with me every since, that was april 22nd. just a few weeks ago i told him it was ridiculous for me to be paying child support while she lives wiht me. he said if i would pay to have the custody papers done giving me custody he would sign them. at the time he was coming to my house every day and talking about us getting back together. i had told him from the beginning that wouldnt happen. now that i am in a situation to get the custody papers he says he will not sign them, and in fact wants our daughter living with him again. she wants to be with me, has nightmares that someone will take her from me. he smokes marijuana almost every day, and i have reason to believe he has done so around our daughter. he has no problems using drugs or drinking then putting her in the car with him. also he works nights and leaves our daughter with his elderly mother. his sister and her 5 children also live with his mother, but his sister works nights too. my daughter has told me many times that she hates staying there becuase they are mean to her and she is made to sleep on the floor or couch. when shes with him he leaves her with his mother while he works, sleeps, and runs the streets. and they allow my daughter to run the streets. i desperately want my daughter with me...but i cannot afford a lawyer. i am not working right now and am having difficulty finding a job. also i just found out im pregnant. i have been in a relationship for 3 yrs, but not married. i have been told this will be help against me becuase im having a child out of wedlock. which i think is crap this day and age...but oh well. i have been told to involve cps, to file a material change of circumstance, to file a motion to modify...all sorts of things. i have to admit im a lil overwhelmed and not sure the best action to take to ensure my daughter will remain with me. can someone please help?!?