Moving to Texas; can ex prevent it?

My family and I ( I am married) are thinking of moving to Texas from New Jersey. My ex and i have joint custody of our son. He STILL isn't doing well (living with family, can't keep a job,caught w/o car insurance and will lose his license). He also hasn't paid child support in about 3 years. He doesn't even offer to buy summer/school clothes. The only thing he pays for is a haircut for our son..during his BIweekly visits.My question is whether or not the courts will let me take our son out of the state. It will surely be a better lifestyle out there and the schools are excellent! And our son is interested in playing football, which Texas is known for! But i dont know if my ex's pitfalls will matter to the court.I do want my son to have some kind of relationship w/ his father.Would it be reasonable to allow our son to spend summers, etc. with his father? I am willing to pay for partial transportation for his visitation.
Please help? Thanks in advance!
P.S. If you have any further questions, please email me.

[This message has been edited by Missy671 (edited July 19, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Missy671 (edited July 19, 2000).]

The fact that he sees his son every other weekend will certainly not go in your favour.. Also, with his current financial situation, it is highly unlikely he will be able to visit his son in Texas. Maybe not even once a year.. So what you will end up doing is stopping your son from having a relationship with his father.

Sorry, does not answer your question, just wanted to point this out..

To Usdeeper: Thank you for your reply. I have updated the question by adding that i do indeed want my son to have a relationship with his father. Maybe allowing for his father to take him for summers, etc. I am also willing to partially finance his visitation transportation.


[This message has been edited by Missy671 (edited July 19, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Missy671 (edited July 19, 2000).]

Well, to go from bi-weekly to maybe twice a year, even if one of those visits is most of the summer, it is still going to have a very negative effect on the relationship.

There are a few things in your favour.. one is that he is unlikely to be able to afford an attorney to truly enforce his rights to have a healthy relationship with his child.. and second, that he owes over 3 years child support. That is enough to put him in jail.

Another point is that why should your family not be able to progress because of his personal problems and his inability to keep a decent job....

At the very least.. be prepared to pay a substantial amount of the travel costs.. Also realise that your child 'may' not like it in years to come knowing that your move denied him his right to a relationship with his father.

Either way.. you need either written permission from him, or permission from the court before you move.