Legal Question in Family Law in Virginia

Parental Rights Revokable for abandanment?

I have a 20 month old daughter. Her biological father and I split up before she was ever born. He had no contact with either of us until I filed for child support and full custody. Then the father filed for a paternity test which he never showed up for. He then filed for joint custody in the agreement that he would pay child support. In September of last year I moved to Missouri to get a job and start my life with my fiance. I filed the appropirate papers and change of address info. Once I moved to MO, the father filed for full custody of the child, and didnt show up for court. Since October the father has paid no support notr made any attempts to contact the child. My main concern is that he will one day decide that he wants to see the child again. He has been no part of her life thus far, and I feel that it would be uncomfortable to her to have another 'father figure' show up out of nowhere one day. I want to have the case transferred to MO so that I can get adequate assistance in having this case properly adjusted.Is it possible to have a custody case transferred without travelling back to Virginia, and are my chances in having custody changed possible with the circumstances as they are?


Asked on 5/26/03, 12:12 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Michael Hendrickson Law Office Michael E. Hendrickson

Re: Parental Rights Revokable for abandanment?

Once you have lived in Missouri continuously for at least six months, you can probably file a petition to have the local family court take jurisdiction of the matter and move the custody case from Virginia to Missouri with the approval of the Virginia court.

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Answered on 5/26/03, 6:40 pm


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