Legal Question in Family Law in Texas
My Rights as caretaker for 4 yrs.
When my sister died the father of her 4 yrs. old daughter was informed of the death. He never came to see about his daughter. I told the father I taking my niece to live with me and my husband in Texas, she lived in Fla. at the time; he agreed. I gave him my address and phone number. He never came to visit and he didn�t call her that often. The father didn't know me; we had never met, yet he allowed his 4 yrs old daughter to go with someone he didn't know and he never came to see about her; she lived with us for 4 yrs. Last summer I asked my oldest sister in Fla. to look after her until I got back on my feet; I had health issues. Two wks before I was to go and get my niece, my sister called and told me my niece's step mom picked her up to take her to the doctor and refused to return her. I never got any legal papers on my niece because her father told me I could take her. The dad was never a part of my niece�s life. Her mom was awarded child support but the dad never gave her a penny and he refused to give it to me. I had to contact his commanding officer to get the child support. I am prepared to fight for custody, which state would I file? I live in TX, my niece in Fl with step mom and dad is stationed in VA.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: My Rights as caretaker for 4 yrs.
You've asked these questions, or versions of them, before. I'm sorry you didn't like the answers. It has probably been too long since the child lived with you for you to have standing for custody. Given the amount of time the child has lived in Florida, any custody fight will have to be in Florida.
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