Legal Question in Family Law in California

I am a mother who is a California resident and have sole legal and physical custody of my children age 11 and 14. I have been accepted to graduate school and secured a teaching job in Shanghai, China. My job will pay for my children's school tuition, our housing, meals and a salary for me. The father is against this and plans to fight me in court. He currently has 8 hours per month visitation. I filed an OST with the court to get the judges permission to go to China. The court gave us a date and also scheduled a mediation date. I have no idea what to expect at mediation and I want to be prepared. Do I have any rights? Is this allowed? The kids want to go to China and are very excited. Their relationship with their father is not good and they are very upset at having to go to the minimal visitation they have and there is nothing I can do about it. I am so lost on what to do. This program has been 2 years in the making and my kids and I will be so disappointed if we are not allowed to go. Please help, thank you!


Asked on 5/07/12, 9:48 pm

2 Answer from Attorneys
Rhonda Ellifritz Law Offices of Rhonda Ellifritz

You should retain an attorney to give yourself the best chance possible to be able to go to China. An experienced family law attorney may be able to suggest an arrangement that he would be happy with. Mediation is a meeting to see if you to can come to some sort of agreement. What you need to consider in all of this is that since you are deciding to leave, you may be required to pay all travel expenses for the children to visit. For further information, visit http://www.ellifritzlaw.com

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Answered on 5/08/12, 12:21 am


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