Legal Question in Family Law in Virginia

I am 15 and 7 months and i am trying to move to my mothers. For the past 7 years my mother has been trying to get custody of me. My father is never home. He leaves me with his wife who clearly has no care in the world for me. She has been taken to court in the past for assaulting my brother who is 17. My father has hit me in the past and manipulated me into saying it wasnt true. There is a constant negative feeling in this house. My brother came home drunk and my father yelled at me a bit for it. He and his wife have conflicts and it affects the family. I am always there to comfort my step mother, and yet she refuses to help me in this case. My father has yelled at my step mother and I was the only one to stand up for her. He would try to push me to my room and I would resist because I didn't want anything to happen to my fathers wife.

I am trying to File for custody change. This isn't a spur of the moment thing. I have been thinking about this for months. Its not my mother filing for custody, its me.

My question is, will I win this? Is there a Lawyer out there who would help me with this? If so, would one do it for free to help me out? I dont think i can afford an attorney. I want a better life. My mom can provide this life i want. I have been spending most of my summer at her house.


Asked on 7/15/10, 12:27 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

You will need your mom to file for custody of you; you cannot file on her behalf. If your father is abusing you, call the police or child protective services. They take those complaints VERY seriously. If money is an issue, have your mother contact Northern Virginia Legal Services. They do a fair amount of pro bono work. You might call the Virginia State Bar Association for a referral as well. The Court will be very interested in what you have to say about the lving environment you believe will be in your best interests. Good luck..

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Answered on 7/28/10, 6:34 pm


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