No....if you have Joint Legal Custody ...you can take the child or children. Your ex may try and do something when you arrive in Califorinia, and then you can have a custody battle. But you CAN take a child and go. That is not true that it is kidnapping, etc.... In VERY FEW states is anything done at all, because it is legal. What your spouse does to try and go through the court and get the child after...well, that's another story. But you will not be arrested or anything else..You do not have to get permission to move to another state with your child.....When you get to California, IMMEDIETLY go and file a paper with a lawyer stating residency that your lawyer will send to your ex.