Legal Question in Family Law in California

Can I give permission for my child to be an actor in a movie if I only have half

I have a son, age 9, who has been offered a major role in an independent film project here in my home state of California. I do not have physical custody of my child. He lives with his father. I have 50% legal custody of him. My son very much wants to act in this movie. Can I give permission to have my son act in the movie and, as long as he is only involved in the movie when he is on visitations with me, I don't have to let the father know? There is no inappropriate behavior nor language in any of the scenes that he is in, nor is there any particularly in the film itself. What problems might this cause legally? His father has been known to interfere with anything that my son wishes, simply to cause me pain, regardless of what it means to my son. I wish to avoid going to court as no one wins in family court - least of all the child. Thank you.


Asked on 6/09/04, 4:57 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Elizabeth L. MacDowell Law Office of Elizabeth L. MacDowell

Re: Can I give permission for my child to be an actor in a movie if I only have

You can not make this decision on your own without violating the joint custody agreement. If your ex learned of it and did not approve, then he could bring you back to court to enforce the order. You would also be putting your child in the unteneble position of having to lie to his father, or at least withhold information - not to mention aggravating the hostilities between you and your ex. No one "wins" in such circumstances.

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Answered on 6/09/04, 6:27 pm


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