What is the name of your state? CA
In 1994 my wife left me for another man. She left me with a 6 yr old stepdaughter and a 2year old daughter. I didn't divorce her. I figured, she left, she can deal with the paperwork and cost. In 2001 she filed for divorce. Custody was not addressed. I was worried that if I went to court to gain legal custody and ask for child support that I would lose my stepdaughter. In 2006 I grounded my stepdaughter for ditching school. She called her mother who promptly moved her out of my house and to Washington State. This happened near the end of the school year. She never made up the time and 6 months later she dropped out of high school. 1 week ago, history repeated itself. My 16 year old daughter, who has been grounded for various things, was MIA when I got home from work. Her mother flew down, and took my daughter with her to WA. Again, it was finals week, and now my kid has lost a semester of school. My daughter won't talk to me and my ex has filed an EPO--says I threatened her. She says she's planning to get me to pay support on top of it all. My question is twofold: Do I have any chance of legally gaining custody of my 16 year old? And, can I file for back support, since for 14 years, she never paid a dime?
In 1994 my wife left me for another man. She left me with a 6 yr old stepdaughter and a 2year old daughter. I didn't divorce her. I figured, she left, she can deal with the paperwork and cost. In 2001 she filed for divorce. Custody was not addressed. I was worried that if I went to court to gain legal custody and ask for child support that I would lose my stepdaughter. In 2006 I grounded my stepdaughter for ditching school. She called her mother who promptly moved her out of my house and to Washington State. This happened near the end of the school year. She never made up the time and 6 months later she dropped out of high school. 1 week ago, history repeated itself. My 16 year old daughter, who has been grounded for various things, was MIA when I got home from work. Her mother flew down, and took my daughter with her to WA. Again, it was finals week, and now my kid has lost a semester of school. My daughter won't talk to me and my ex has filed an EPO--says I threatened her. She says she's planning to get me to pay support on top of it all. My question is twofold: Do I have any chance of legally gaining custody of my 16 year old? And, can I file for back support, since for 14 years, she never paid a dime?
