Legal Question in Family Law in Washington
Parental rights
I live in wshington st. And was having finacial problems .My family offered to pay two way bus tickets for my two children to visit my mother in arizona.After my children were on the bus they informed that the tickets were only one way .I would have to figure out how to get them back.Well while i'm trying to figure this out my mother lets my children go stay with my daughters blood grand father (my daughter is 14 yrs and her father is in prison has been since she was 18m0 old)and his wife.My son who is 11 yrs old and no blood relation to these people.(my children have never been around any of these people).They were raised with myself and my mother but not the grandfather and his wife .Now they have filed and got temp.Custody of my children .I was not notified i offered to send a letter to help with school enrollment and so on .I have been in contact with my children via letter phone so on. My brother was going to be bringing the children back then boom i'm hit with we talked to a judge and have temp custody.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Parental rights
Well, you certainly have a problem.
When did your kids go to Arizona? What day, what month? Did you immediately contest what they had done and contact the police to help you with the kidnapping issue?
The AZ custody orders are only valid if you have been personally served and have had an opportunity to explain what happened and an AZ court has found AZ has emergency jurisdiction.
If you don't want this to happen, your only hope is to get a lawyer to represent you in AZ and another lawyer to represent you here. That's going to cost a LOT of money - probably not less than 5-10K just to start.
Judges do not grant third party custody petitions without a lot of information suggesting that you as a parent are unfit. If this is not true, you need to make sure the court understands your point of view.
Hope this helps. Powell
Related Questions & Answers
Looking for something else?
10,200 active attorneys ready to answer your legal questions today.
Featured Attorneys
Earn additional revenue and grow your business.
