Mom's keeping kids from dad's family

[KYRose]

What is the name of your state?Kentucky

My brother-in-law has joint custody of his 2 children with his ex-wife. He's court ordered to pay child support and is grossly behind. Despite his lack of help or interest in his kids since their divorce his parents as well as my husband and I have been very involved in the children's lives. We have been the primary childcare providers of both children all their lives with frequent visits (several times a week) with the children and their mother. We have all been involved in the oldest child's schooling, even going as far as getting on and off the bus at my in-laws house for the last 3 years. My in-laws have provided some financial help as well as most all of my ex-sister-in-laws transportation (they took her to every doctors appt when she was pregnant w/ a 3rd child w/ no father). We have always had a good relationship with the children and their mother, even taking care of the 3rd baby as though she were part of our family.

Suddenly this summer she stopped allowing the children to call either my in-laws or my house. She allowed my in-laws to take the children to our family reunion this summer but we have not been allowed to see the children since our return (a month and a half) . She does not let them call or visit any of the people in their father's side of the family and has asked my in-laws to leave when they have gone to visit the children. She also ignores any of us when we see them in public, taking the children away from us like we were never there even when we speak to them. She has even began denying visits with the children's father. The only explaination she has given is that my brother-in-law has said something to the children to make them afraid of him. My children go to the same school as my nieces and they appear very scared and nervous when we see them at the school. The girls attach to us anytime they see us at the school and whine about how much they miss us. We saw strange marks on one niece before they were taken away and now they wear long clothes to school in 90 degree weather. My in-laws and I are frightened for the children (mom has a lot of trouble dealing with stress) but we have no means of finding out if there is a problem. My in-laws are ready to file for visitation. Do they have a chance?

[stealth2]

If there is a court order for Dad's visitation, then she needs to abide by that. If she doesn't, he needs to file against her for contempt. However, he should then also expect that she will file against him for contempt of the support order - so he needs to figuire out how he'll get back on tracck with that. As for the rest of his family? Absent a court order for YOUR visitation, she's under no obligation to provide any contact whatsoever.

if dad has visitation, you are expected to see the kids on his time-mom is not obligated to give you more time. nor is she obligtaed to let you have contact with the kids when they are with her.

[KYRose]

Thanks for the advice but unfourtunately I already knew all that. They want to know if there is any chance of them getting a judgement for visitation separate from dad's since she has denied that.

[LdiJ]

Originally Posted by KYRose

Thanks for the advice but unfourtunately I already knew all that. They want to know if there is any chance of them getting a judgement for visitation separate from dad's since she has denied that.

As long as dad has court ordered visitation rights, there is virtually no chance of that. Its time for them to kick dad's butt and make him not only live up to his responsibilities, but to also enforce his visitation rights.

However, I also think that it would be in everyone's best interest, particularly the children's to find out just exactly what it was that dad said, that caused the children to be afraid.