Right to Move

[Zephyr]

very true, and I totally agree with you about the choices (I always say that sort of thing to my employees )

op- have you discussed the matter at all with the father? you may find a way to work this out amicably...

what is the distance between the two cities?

 

[Questions111]

Thanks for all of your input. I have absolutely no intention of preventing the father from having a good relationship with the baby. I know how important that is and wouldn't want to take it away. However, I don't want to forever be stuck in "his" city (and I realize I can choose to leave even if the baby can't but that's a choice I would never make). I do think that having the baby in a city where I have the support (and experience) of my parents to draw on would be best. And I could and would be willing to facilitate visitation with the father in whatever way is necessary (and wouldn't freak the baby out too much). Admittedly this is difficult when the child is an infant as things like overnight visits are pretty controversial. My intent here is to avoid court battles as much as possible and I was really hoping the father would be able to remain a friend so that baby would be able to enjoy things like having both parents in the same room at the same time stress-free. However, when I ended the relationship, he says he can't handle being "friends" and wants to fight about it instead.

Long story short, I don't want baby's location or my location to be forever dictated by him (and I agree, why can't he just move too if that is the case).

 

[jslopez711]

Thanks for all of your input. I have absolutely no intention of preventing the father from having a good relationship with the baby. I know how important that is and wouldn't want to take it away. However, I don't want to forever be stuck in "his" city (and I realize I can choose to leave even if the baby can't but that's a choice I would never make). I do think that having the baby in a city where I have the support (and experience) of my parents to draw on would be best. And I could and would be willing to facilitate visitation with the father in whatever way is necessary (and wouldn't freak the baby out too much). Admittedly this is difficult when the child is an infant as things like overnight visits are pretty controversial. My intent here is to avoid court battles as much as possible and I was really hoping the father would be able to remain a friend so that baby would be able to enjoy things like having both parents in the same room at the same time stress-free. However, when I ended the relationship, he says he can't handle being "friends" and wants to fight about it instead.

Long story short, I don't want baby's location or my location to be forever dictated by him (and I agree, why can't he just move too if that is the case).

Hopefully you can achieve the 'no courts thank you' nirvana everyone hopes. It gets expensive quickly.

As for Houston being his town, tell him is MY town and you have all the rights and credits afforded to you by OUR city. Seriously, don't let that bug you.

Try not to get to emotional. Get familiar with the Texas Standard Order of Possession and realize that at ANY time, overnights are going to happen.
Typically Restrictions of Domicile come with a caveat, if the NCP should ever move out of the restrictions placed on the CO, then it's all null and void. So, you will just be stuck to ONE town. Not unreasonable.

As I stated earlier, talk to the father and see what his take is on it. Keep in mind that this situation you are in is EXTREMELY FLAMABLE and can consume both of your patients and your money quickly. It is NEVER 50 50, it is more like 90 10. Sometimes 90 in your favor and sometimes 10.

Good luck to you.

 

[ktarra617]

the bottom line here is legally until that baby is born she has the right to move wherever she wants and there is not a darn thing dad can do about it. Quite simply the law cannot dictate she stay there because of a child that might be born sometime in the future. And I say might because we don't know what will happen. Please don't take that the wrong way I hope the best for your baby.

The law has to look at it as this child is not here yet and until it is here they are not going to do anything in regards as to the location of the mother. So if mom decides to move to dallas before the birth of the baby there's nothing legally stopping her.

Now once that baby's here all bets are off and the rules of the game have changed. He can get a domicile restriction. So if you wait to move until the baby is born you probably ought to get real familiar with Houston because you will probably be there a long time.

Now morally I think kids need both parents and I really don't like it when one parent tries to leave with the kid. Leaves a really bad taste in mouth, especially since my hubby and I fought this battle already, and we won btw, my stepchild can't be moved out of the county of residence. Bottom line is right now you can do whatever but if you do move try to work something out with the father to allow visitation with his child.