Do I have a case?

Me and my ex-wife have been divorced for 10 months. We have join custody. We did not go to mediation. I know that my ex-wife is using drugs. Our kids are late to school often and they go to school holes in pants, hair not combed. I have all the school records of when they was late. During the month of Nov. 1999 they were late 6 times, twice one week, four times in another. It was because she would not get up in the morning with them. She has been evicted out of the home we used to live in. She has threaten to kill me, I did report it. She told me one day she wishes I was dead and six feet under right in front of the kids. I only get our kids every other weekend and some holidays. Easter is my holiday and she is not going to let me have our kids. Our kids are failing school. I can't talk to her about my concerns because all she does is call me names and most of the time our kids are present. I have filed for mediations because she is so out of control. This is just some of what has happened. My daughter told me that mommies boyfriend only does drugs sometimes, like it was not a big deal. (boy and girl ages 9 twins). I do not have a lawyer trying to get the money. Would a judge consider all this and more? Do I have a case? I have a journal of everything that has happen. My ex-wife looks as if she is going to die, the meth that she smokes has took there toll. I'm afraid that one day our kids will come home to find her dead, she looks that bad. Child Protection Service has been visiting the her home where our children reside. I don't know why, can I find out in anyway. I live in Arizona. Please help!!! thank you

I am a law school graduate currently awaiting Bar results. What I offer to you is mere information, not to be construed as forming an attorney-client relationship.


Okay, oh boy, sounds like you have a very serious and volatile situation here. If you absolutely cannot afford an attorney, these are the steps you need to take.


1) read the sections on child custody, divorce and child support in the family law section of freeadvice.com's home page.

2) contact your local legal aid society (found in the community guide section of your yellow pages) and ask for the family law section. If your community doesn't have a legal aid, contact your local ABA approved law school and ask for a family law professor.

3) this will jump start the process into getting your children, and possibly getting a restraining order against your ex for yourself and your kids.


Hope this helps.

Thank you for your information. This is only getting worse and worse. We did not go to mediation because we did agree with the parenting plan we made up. I was blinded to think it would work. I have filed for mediation because I can not put our kids through her blowing up all the time. My ex wife has them thinking now I'm the bad guy and I am doing something bad to her. Now she has them thinking that I am going to hurt her. I have never threaten her or put her down, call her names because I would never do than to our kids. The kids are withdrawing from me slowly. (Exsample) Both my kids play baseball. At a game recently my son's game with his mother to watch his sister play. My son would not come and talk to me. He stayed nexted to his mom. He just said hi to me and walked with his mom. He has never done that to me before, they would always run to me and hug me and set with me. His mother had to leave to pick up her other daughter she left my son there. As soon as she was out of site he was like he as always been. He was asking my wife if she would please come to his game the nexted day and was talking our ear off. I don't know what is going on with them, it happen when she is around but as soon as she isn't they are fine. Now my wife has a caller id box so for the last 2 weeks I have gotten the run around. Either they are not there or they don't answer the phone. I have only gotten to talk to them once April 23 and I did get to take them a Easter basket. My ex told me she was going to have a sheriff watch the house while I was there. She told the sheriff I get very hostile, she is the one who does. I would never do anything to have my rights taken away I don't see them that much as it is. Do you think my kids have what they call Parent Aleination Symdrom? They are not doing very well in school and that is unlike them. I am going to talk to the teachers in a couple of days. I don't want to give-up on giving our kids what is best for them but she is making it so hard for them. It breaks my heart that a mother can do this. Thanks again for the information..... I'm going to do all I can but at the sametime my heart is breaking for my kids. I just wish she would listen to them and look in there eyes.