Stepson wants to Come

[2taller]

What is the name of your state? Ohio
My husbands son wants to come and live with us. He's 14, do we have to go through the courts? If so, can we draw up paper work to present to the judge instead of going through a lawyer?

 

[VeronicaGia]

Yes, if there is a current custody order in place, he will have to go to court. If you can come to an agreement with the other parent, and the judge has no objections, custody will be changed.

The only thing that can change a court order is a new court order. If you do not go through the process, and you are paying support, and the child comes to live with you, she could file contempt charges for non-payment of support, or could claim that you took the child, whatever.

Get a new court order, including a new order for support from her.

 

[2taller]

But do we?....

Do we have to do this with a Lawayer? Or can we draw up new paperwork ourselves?

 

[VeronicaGia]

If you are in agreement, you can fill out and file the papers yourselves. Be sure to follow the requirements of filing the paperwork, i.e., it may need to be notarized and a notary has to actually witness both signatures. Then you will have to figure out how to get a judge to sign the order (maybe BCBill or IAAL can help with this).