Tim Sunderland
Junior Member
My wife and I live in Southern California. We are the paternal grandparents of a four-year-old boy. Our son and the mother never married. They have not lived together since the child was six months. He does not pay child support and is marginally employed (although he and the mother do get along). She has since had a second child, a one-year old boy from another man, who also does not support the child and has a criminal history.
My wife and I have been involved in our grandson's life since day one, and we have him for the weekend several times a month, and we have also had to come to the rescue with the mother has had problems, although we do not financial support her. She gets county aid (San Bernardino County). Maternal grandmother has MS and cannot handle the kids on her own.
Until recently mother was living with her mother, but was thrown out for drug abuse and associated problems. She has been living on and off with a male drug abuser, along with the two little boys.
Lots of bad stuff, but nothing consistent enough to manage to get custody of our grandson (the other child's extended paternal family will gladly take him if they could). Mother is currently employed as a hairdresser, but has had problems keeping a job and is having the same problems now.
Child Protective Serves has several files on her, but nothing active. A CPS caseworker told us that she knows (in her heart) that the mother is abusing drugs, but has been unable to catch her. CPS caseworker says that she suspects the mother will eventually lose her job and will probably go on a drug binge and not pick up the kids for an extended period of time.
She advised us that at that time we need to file an emergency order for temporary custody to get custody of our grandson.
Mother got arrested for DUI last week. Now is out of jail and is driving the kids around in an unregistered, uninsured car, and her license is suspended. While she was in jail, the children were left with the boyfriend for 36 hours. He later left them with his aunt.
How does the procedure for temporary emergency custody work? Does anybody know the procedure? I write well (published many times) but I want to make sure that I provide the judge with the he material he/she needs to make a decision.
My wife and I are financialy okay, but I don't want to have to pay a lot of money to an attorney if I don't have to.
By the way, we have the support of the maternal grandmother. The extended family of the younger child is also more than willing to take over his care. Our son probably will not get involved. He does not want the responsibility.
My wife and I have been involved in our grandson's life since day one, and we have him for the weekend several times a month, and we have also had to come to the rescue with the mother has had problems, although we do not financial support her. She gets county aid (San Bernardino County). Maternal grandmother has MS and cannot handle the kids on her own.
Until recently mother was living with her mother, but was thrown out for drug abuse and associated problems. She has been living on and off with a male drug abuser, along with the two little boys.
Lots of bad stuff, but nothing consistent enough to manage to get custody of our grandson (the other child's extended paternal family will gladly take him if they could). Mother is currently employed as a hairdresser, but has had problems keeping a job and is having the same problems now.
Child Protective Serves has several files on her, but nothing active. A CPS caseworker told us that she knows (in her heart) that the mother is abusing drugs, but has been unable to catch her. CPS caseworker says that she suspects the mother will eventually lose her job and will probably go on a drug binge and not pick up the kids for an extended period of time.
She advised us that at that time we need to file an emergency order for temporary custody to get custody of our grandson.
Mother got arrested for DUI last week. Now is out of jail and is driving the kids around in an unregistered, uninsured car, and her license is suspended. While she was in jail, the children were left with the boyfriend for 36 hours. He later left them with his aunt.
How does the procedure for temporary emergency custody work? Does anybody know the procedure? I write well (published many times) but I want to make sure that I provide the judge with the he material he/she needs to make a decision.
My wife and I are financialy okay, but I don't want to have to pay a lot of money to an attorney if I don't have to.
By the way, we have the support of the maternal grandmother. The extended family of the younger child is also more than willing to take over his care. Our son probably will not get involved. He does not want the responsibility.