Legal Question in Family Law in Pennsylvania
My mom and I have had shared physical and legal custody of my daughter for 10 years, since she was 10 years old. I would get times of custody by mutual agreement. A couple months ago I filed to have the custody order changed because I want to get custody back of my daughter. When my mom got the paperwork I had filed she kept my daughter from all contact for 4 weeks when we went to contempt court (I filed to have her held in contempt). At the contempt hearing the judge ordered her to bring my daughter visit for a weekend and allow daily phone calls until we went to custody mediation 3 weeks later. I should add that my fiance, myself and our 3 children live about 3 hours away from my mom and daughter due to my fiance's recent work promotion. At the mediation we could not come to an agreement so we were told a decision would be made and we would receive the order in the mail. Since then I only have been able to speak to my daughter on the phone a couple times. On Friday, 11/29/13, we got the custody order in the mail. It states that we shall share physical and legal custody, she shall reside with my mother except that I get custody of her 1 weekend per month, dates and times by mutual agreement and also she will be with me for her christmas school break, dates and times by mutual agreement. I attempted to call my mom yesterday 11/30/13 with no luck. Today she called me and I asked her what weekend I could take my daughter and how she wanted to work Christmas break. She told me she is not going to let me take my daughter. She seems to think that because of the phrase "mutual agreement" that if she doesn't agreement to let me take my daughter then I can't and that she has the right to make that decision. I don't know what to do. I really can't afford a lawyer at this point (the one I had for the contempt hearing was really expensive and I won't have any extra funds till after the first of the year). I just want to spend time with my daughter and ultimately get custody back. My mom refuses to coorperate and is telling my daughter awful things. I'm really scared and just don't know what to do.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Please call to discuss.
What county did the matter take place in?
E mail me [email protected]
Cell. 215-370-2608
Not all lawyers are horribly expensive.
Blessings
Saul