I am a single mother of 3 year old twins. We live in Pennsylvania and so does the father. I would like to move to Georgia to be closer to my mother. I have primary custody, I have them two weeks and the father has them for a week. What are the laws regarding relocating?

Not sure what the laws are for PA, I got divorced in NJ, my husband had primary custody of the kids, he "took off" and moved to NC without my knoweledge or consentso for 19 yrs I had no idea where he was. . NJ law stated and my divorce papers stated that he had to notify me and have consent before leaving the state to move somewhere else. ( i couldnt afford a lawyer back then so he took advantage of that as well ). I’d get the help of a lawyer and get their advice.

If the parents were never married, but is no longer together, how does the father file for temporary custody? And after temporary custody, how will he go about filing for full custody? What is proof enough to a court that the mother is completely unfit to be the custodial parent?

First and foremost, you need to hire a well-seasoned family law attorney who is familiar with paternity, custody, support and the laws relating to unfit parents. As each state’s laws are a bit different, only a licensed attorney in the state where the child resides can answer these questions for you per your specific circumstances. However, there are some generalities that we can address.

As others have stated, if you are not the legal father then you need to be so. The first source I have posted is a link to an article explaining the various ways to go about establishing paternity. You should be aware that having established paternity does not necessarily give you custodial or visitation rights over the child. This is also explained in the article.

To answer your question in relation to the proof needed to prove the mother is unfit, you need to remember that most courts decide custody issues based on the ‘best interests of the child’ test. This test is made up different components which can differ from state to state. Components can include moral fitness of a parent and the respective environment offered by each parent.

Proof as to these components could include his testimony (and other first-hand witnesses) as to how much time each parent spends with the children and the activities each parent does with the children. If her activities outside the home are affecting the children, such as coming home intoxicated, this is also a factor.

Again, as these are state specific you will need a family law attorney to help you determine what constitutes as evidence for proving that the mother is unfit to have custody of the child.

You should begin keeping a journal documenting what she does that you deem to be proving unfit. It will help you remember details when you begin the legal process.

You might want to check out DadsDivorce.com, even if you were never married, as they have tons of articles in relation to this topic and other topics surrounding children and custody. You might also want to chat with the guys on the forum section about this to see what experiences they might have to share with you.

I’m 17 years old, the father is 18. My daughter is almost 3 months old. First I must point out that I do NOT live with him, I live with my parents. Second, I feel that my daughters living environment is not safe due to my parents and I feel as if living with her father is the better choice. Would the court allow me to just GIVE him custody of our daughter?

Yes, of course, he is her father. But, once you do so, you will have a heck of a time getting her back, so make sure this is really what you want to do.

Hi I am Canadian, I married an american women and have a daughter, I am about to undergo a divorcing process both my ex and we have both lost jobs. I have better chances of getting a new job in canada. should i file from canada or from colorado? …what are the chances if my daughter is in colorado that i can get the child custody if i am in Canada? what can i do? does it mark a difference if my soon ex has bipolar issues and pot dependency?

Drug use and mental illness are always factors the court considers when granting custody, you can file in either country and once the custody is granted US authorities will turn your child over to you based upon the order whichever court orders it.~

How would a father go about changing the custody arrangment? If the parents were never married and have agreeed to that its in the best interest of the child. We live in Texas so would you have to go through the attorney general or the court where the child support was set up?

You need only see a Certified Mediator to put together the modification agreement on custody and child support. You file this with the Clerk of the Court, who will certify it and set a court date. On that day you both go to court to swear to the contents of the agreement. You than take the agreement to the AG office to register the child support agreement. Easy Peasy

http://divpat.org/Medation-N-Family-Law

To learn a father’s rights, join Dads House Educational Center in Yahoo Groups. It’s free to join, access all materials You associate with other fathers going through, and have already gone through, the same issues. We have an Educational Manual that teaches everything that needs to be known in addressing your legal issues. Mention your question here when asked why you want to join, as well as your state? http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Dads_House_Ed_Ctr/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dads-House-Educational-Center/112967188746254 \\\\\\\\

It seems like women always win custody and I was wondering if anybody knows of the father obtaining primary custody. If so, how was he able to do it. My husband would like to fight for custody of his children and I would like to give him some positive motivation by showing him that it is possible. Thank you!

Yes, one of my best friends has custody of his biological son AND four additional step-children because he was deemed a fit parent and his ex-wife was not. AND he had a criminal record and she had a clean record, and still gained custody. Plus, even to the most casual observer, he’s a great father and let’s just say she wasn’t.

It’s possible but still not likely. Courts generally sh*t on dads no matter what, this was an exception.

I’m asking this for a friend, what are her legal options; and what course of action should she take. Should she call the authorities, wait until the father returns the child. Can she attempt to modify the custody arrangement because the fathers unwillingness to abide by the rulings.
It’s usually like an extra entire day. When we call him directly he says, "I’ll bring her back whenever I GD well please."

He’s in violation….yes. But, if they (father & child) have a good relationship and the dghtr enjoys the dad’s time, then, what is the problem….relax. Let them have a little extra time together. Put yourself in his shoes. What harm is there if he keeps her a little longer?

So im writing this story, and basically theres an unruley teenager that the father cant handle (hes a fireman, he works 48 hours away from home a week) anymore, so he sends her off to her brothers house (he’s 27, his wife is 25,) and hes a pastor there, and there hoping that he"ll straighten her out. But how would that work? Would there be any custody issues involved? Like how could the brother get to be the "guardian" or whatever.

Not necessarily.

My sister in law sent her daughter to live with me during H.S. – no legal issues required.

I just had a note from her mother allowing me to enroll her in school and make all her decisions for her.

The school never even asked for the letter. Apparently, parents are not required in H.S.

If the dad is homosexual,
can the mom use that as a reason to take full custody of their son?
By the way this is in the state of California??
Please only answer if you really know!

Not for the sole reason of being homosexual.

How difficult would it be for a father to gain custody of a child from a mother who is not openly neglectful, but the father can provide a better quality of life? What steps do I need to take to increase my chances?

.Marry the mother.No court would ever remove a child from the custody of the mother.Best you could ever hope for is 50 50