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Contested Custody between Unwed Parents

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T

T3x

Guest
I have temporary custody of my 20 month old daughter because her father contested custody after paternity was established. I petitioned the Court for custody, visitation, and paternity. Father denied the child; however, I have photos of him and our child taken together before the reading of the paternity results. Also, I copies of personal checks that the father gave me for financial support for our child. Should this be discussed during my upcoming Trial? Both father and I do not have attorneys. Thus far, we are both Pro Se. My child's father wants our child to live with him six months during the year. Since the birth of our child he has remarried. We were never married to each other. I am a FIT mother and our child is in a stable environment, and there's no evidence of neglect nor harm. I suppose you might think, how I am FIT if I had a child by a married man? Well, he did not cohabit with his first wife for more than 10 years. The second wife and I both were seeing him at the same time...TWA. Father has lived in a stable environment for only 8 months! Prior to buying his new home, he and his second wife lived in the PROJECTS for at least 5 years. However, he thinks that he is stable and he's ready to be Daddy. Oh, I forgot to mention that he has 3 children with his first wife. I have known this man more than a decade and he has not supported these 3 children nor has he fought for custody of them. I wonder why! Supposedly, first wife received welfare. My child's father has a total of 5 children by three mothers. I am only mother who is gainfully employed and can elect to receive child support. I feel that custody is contested because of this fact. Currently, I do not have a Court order for child support. He does provide weekly child support in a lesser amount than child support guidelines. We live in Virginia. I have never denied father visitation which is ordered liberal and reasonable. I have declined to provide transportation for his visits. His driver's license are suspended; reason unknown. I requested mediation and we attended two sessions. The dispute was not resolved. He was very uncooperative. During the first session I thought we have decided on custody. I would have sole physical custody and we jointly have legal custody. But, when we returned for the second session he changed his mind and requested Joint Custody. The reason given was that to get around me not wanting our child around his wife. My reason for not wanting our child around his wife alone is because she wished that me and my child were DEAD. She has not demonstrated a meaningful relationship with our child nor the willingness to establish one. I don't have an issue with our child visting with her father at his residence, but I am concerned about emotional stress our child could encountered. There is a great deal of hostility; we don't even communicate. She drops my child's father at the curb for his visits; I have a driveway and I told her that she is allowed to park in it, but she does not. I hope that you are getting the picture? My main question is what do you think my chances are in getting Sole Custody?
 



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