Jurisdiction

[Bloopy]

What is the name of your state? VA

Dad has full Custody. Mom has supervised visitation. The family has a LOOOOOONG case history in County A

Dad wants to move to county B to save a lot of money and access better schools since kiddo will start next year.

Mom lives in city C. (Cities and Counties are separate in VA)

If Dad moves, does the whole case have to move too? Mom would love to start over with a new GAL, CPS, CASA…

 

[stealth2]

What county is City C in>?

 

[Bloopy]

City C is a separate entity. Cities are not in counties in Virginia, Delaware or ? Pennsylvania I think.

 

[CJane]

What is the name of your state? VA

Dad has full Custody. Mom has supervised visitation. The family has a LOOOOOONG case history in County A

Dad wants to move to county B to save a lot of money and access better schools since kiddo will start next year.

Mom lives in city C. (Cities and Counties are separate in VA)

If Dad moves, does the whole case have to move too? Mom would love to start over with a new GAL, CPS, CASA…

Dad needs to contact an attorney, BUT in MY state, the GAL and any CASA involvement would NOT change regardless of county if it was at all avoidable.

 

[CJane]

City C is a separate entity. Cities are not in counties in Virginia, Delaware or ? Pennsylvania I think.

Ok... can you explain this?

HERE, we refer to 'living in the county' only to imply that we don't live w/in city limits. But even if we're IN city limits we're still also IN the county.

For instance... I live in Y city in X county. Stupidhead lives in X county as well, but not within city limits. So he would say "I live out in the county".

I really don't get what you're saying.

 

[Bloopy]

He called his attorney and she said it COULD stay but if Mom makes waves it COULD move.

I’m wondering, if Mom makes waves, does it HAVE to more?

It’s not like she could claim jurisdiction to her city.

All three locales are jammed together. County B, where Dad is considering moving, is geographically huge. The courthouse there would be furthest from both homes by at least three times. Not that really counts towards an inconvenient forum.

 

[Bloopy]

Ok... can you explain this?

HERE, we refer to 'living in the county' only to imply that we don't live w/in city limits. But even if we're IN city limits we're still also IN the county.

For instance... I live in Y city in X county. Stupidhead lives in X county as well, but not within city limits. So he would say "I live out in the county".

I really don't get what you're saying.

Not the same. Virginia is weird. City limits are in the city. Cities have their mayor, courthouse, banks and so on. Counties have their own courthouses etc.

Adding to the confusion is that despite all this, you still can’t list a county for a mailing address, but you can list a town. I used to live in County D, but not in any town limits. So I had to use the nearest city, city C, for my mailing address. Now that I live in county D, within the limits of town D, I get to use “Town D” as my mailing address instead of “City C.”

Clear as mud, eh?

 

[Bloopy]

What does this have to do with peeing everywhere? Please - at least use the proper terminology.

Awesome typo!

Perhaps the parents can “mark” courthouse of their choice.

 

[ProSeDadinMD]

Ok... can you explain this?

HERE, we refer to 'living in the county' only to imply that we don't live w/in city limits. But even if we're IN city limits we're still also IN the county.

For instance... I live in Y city in X county. Stupidhead lives in X county as well, but not within city limits. So he would say "I live out in the county".

I really don't get what you're saying.

CJane, MD has the same kind of thing as VA in only 1 instance that I am aware of.

Baltimore City, although it is physically located within Baltimore County, is a completely separate entity. Different tax rate/police/school system/gov't/etc.

Bloopy, what would be the grounds for a change of venue? I know that in MD(wrong state, I know), as long as The Ex and/or I don't leave the state, there would have to be extenuating circumstances to change counties. Otherwise, I'm sure that we would now be in court in her county, if only to make it more difficult for me to file/attend/etc.

 

[Bloopy]

CJane, MD has the same kind of thing as VA in only 1 instance that I am aware of.

Baltimore City, although it is physically located within Baltimore County, is a completely separate entity. Different tax rate/police/school system/gov't/etc.

Bloopy, what would be the grounds for a change of venue? I know that in MD(wrong state, I know), as long as The Ex and/or I don't leave the state, there would have to be extenuating circumstances to change counties. Otherwise, I'm sure that we would now be in court in her county, if only to make it more difficult for me to file/attend/etc.

Whoops no. Cities are not even in the county.

There would be no grounds to change the venue except for that neither parent would still be living in county A.

I can list dozens of reasons not change venue from County A.

I’m pretty sure Mom can’t move the case to City C because she has no custody so Dad would get a vote. Dad has no interest in changing to County B. I don’t thing Mom could offer County B herself because she doesn’t live there.

 

[ProSeDadinMD]

Whoops no. Cities are not even in the county.

There would be no grounds to change the venue except for that neither parent would still be living in county A.

I can list dozens of reasons not change venue from County A.

I’m pretty sure Mom can’t move the case to City C because she has no custody so Dad would get a vote. Dad has no interest in changing to County B. I don’t thing Mom could offer County B herself because she doesn’t live there.

I could be living in Garrett County in Western MD and The Ex could live in Ocean City on the Eastern Shore and we would still be trudging back to the DC area(central MD) for court.

 

[CJane]

Whoops no. Cities are not even in the county.

There would be no grounds to change the venue except for that neither parent would still be living in county A.

I can list dozens of reasons not change venue from County A.

I’m pretty sure Mom can’t move the case to City C because she has no custody so Dad would get a vote. Dad has no interest in changing to County B. I don’t thing Mom could offer County B herself because she doesn’t live there.

Ok, that's just weird. But then, y'all aren't even a STATE, you're a Commonwealth, yes?

I should have paid more attention in civics.

ANYWAY... the jurisdiction IF CHANGED almost certainly has to follow the CHILDREN. So IF it changed, it would change to wherever Dad is w/the kids. And Dad could certainly dispute it if he wanted to, stating that the current jurisdiction is so aware of the history of this case that changing jurisdiction would not be in the best interests of the children.

 

[Bloopy]

The Commonwealth of Virginia is divided into 95 counties and 39 independent cities, which are considered county-equivalents for census purposes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_counties_in_Virginia

 

[CJane]

I could be living in Garrett County in Western MD and The Ex could live in Ocean City on the Eastern Shore and we would still be trudging back to the DC area(central MD) for court.

Ok, but just to be contrary, how far is that really?

The counties here are HUGE... my kids' school district (a rural district not tied to a town) is more than 150 sq miles... and only has 700 total students. And there are THREE rural districts in this county, PLUS several 'city districts'.

It's conceivable that someone IN the county would have to drive over an hour to get to the other end of the county... and this is a 6 county 'metro' area.

 

[Bloopy]

ANYWAY... the jurisdiction IF CHANGED almost certainly has to follow the CHILDREN. So IF it changed, it would change to wherever Dad is w/the kids. And Dad could certainly dispute it if he wanted to, stating that the current jurisdiction is so aware of the history of this case that changing jurisdiction would not be in the best interests of the children.

Super!

So if mom raises a stink, Dad can argue best interests. The GAL and everyone else would be 100% supportive of keeping jurisdiction in County A.

It’s not like reporting him for paying for out-of-state license plates which, once flagged, MUST move to the right area.