What is the name of your state? SC
Hi! My daughter's paternal grandmother is filing for visitation rights. I just wanted to see if she has any jurisdiction for a court-ordered visitation. Just to give a little history... My child's father has committed suicide last year in March. The grandmother blames me for what happened to her son since I left the relationship after 5 years of being together. We were never married and no custody or visitation was ever established. I left with my daughter when she was almost 18-months (she's going on 5yrs in Dec) and the reason is to provide a better living environment for her. I've tried to make the realtionship work but my ex had a bad alcohol problem and was both verbally and physically abusive towards me. Don't get me wrong...He was a great person and loved her very much but only when he's sober. I did not want to raise my daughter in an environment where a person can just completely hurt you in a second and sorry the next. My ex and I stayed in touch/visited and I thought we were actually friends when he passed away. Since his passing, the encounters and conversations I've had with the grandmother has been negative and choose not to surround myself with it. I've relocated to SC from Northern VA for my company and have very limited time to go back. The grandmother wants to have visitation rights where I would be obligated to bring my daughter half way to VA on some holidays, birthdays and other occasions. My child also has special needs where her speech and physical abilities are delayed and I'm in the process of enrolling her in a federally required school-ran program. I've never been an unfit mother (matter-of-fact, I would have deemed myself unfit if I did stay with her son) and had always provided for my child without any assistance. I now have a great husband that's looking into adopting her. She's apparently, getting a well-experienced lawyer who had handled many (wealthy) clients' cases. My child has always been my rock and my everything and I'm willing to do what it take to keep her with me and away from the negativity. Please let me know if I would have to consult with a VA lawyer and prepare myself to travel up there or would they have to come to us here in SC since this is where the child resides; and, if she even has the right to disrupt my child's life like this. Thank you for any advice...
Hi! My daughter's paternal grandmother is filing for visitation rights. I just wanted to see if she has any jurisdiction for a court-ordered visitation. Just to give a little history... My child's father has committed suicide last year in March. The grandmother blames me for what happened to her son since I left the relationship after 5 years of being together. We were never married and no custody or visitation was ever established. I left with my daughter when she was almost 18-months (she's going on 5yrs in Dec) and the reason is to provide a better living environment for her. I've tried to make the realtionship work but my ex had a bad alcohol problem and was both verbally and physically abusive towards me. Don't get me wrong...He was a great person and loved her very much but only when he's sober. I did not want to raise my daughter in an environment where a person can just completely hurt you in a second and sorry the next. My ex and I stayed in touch/visited and I thought we were actually friends when he passed away. Since his passing, the encounters and conversations I've had with the grandmother has been negative and choose not to surround myself with it. I've relocated to SC from Northern VA for my company and have very limited time to go back. The grandmother wants to have visitation rights where I would be obligated to bring my daughter half way to VA on some holidays, birthdays and other occasions. My child also has special needs where her speech and physical abilities are delayed and I'm in the process of enrolling her in a federally required school-ran program. I've never been an unfit mother (matter-of-fact, I would have deemed myself unfit if I did stay with her son) and had always provided for my child without any assistance. I now have a great husband that's looking into adopting her. She's apparently, getting a well-experienced lawyer who had handled many (wealthy) clients' cases. My child has always been my rock and my everything and I'm willing to do what it take to keep her with me and away from the negativity. Please let me know if I would have to consult with a VA lawyer and prepare myself to travel up there or would they have to come to us here in SC since this is where the child resides; and, if she even has the right to disrupt my child's life like this. Thank you for any advice...