Q: Hi. My i recently told my ex-gf to move out, and that our daughter stays with me in a stable household.
I had no intent to keep our daughter from her, and she knew that. But, when i let her take her for a walk the day after, she didnt come back. She took off and his from me and now is in another city. She filed for custody and child support. Is this legal?
A: Yes, it is completely legal. Until you get a custody order, you both have equal custodial rights. Hiding from you isn't a good thing, but since she filed for custody, you now have her address and a forum for determining how to arrange custody between the two of you. If you ask for it, the court will normally order equally shared custody until a final determination can be made. If spending half the time with your ex isn't safe, you can ask the court for primary custody, with your ex getting visits that are arranged to be safe. Getting such an order requires pretty strong evidence, though. The best thing would be for you and your ex to work things out with a mediator. (The court may be able to provide one free of charge if you can't afford one. )
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