Q: I have been the only caregiver of my 6 month old daughter and now her father wants overnight visits 2hrs away is it alwd
I raise and have been the only caregiver for my 6 month old daughter. Her father lives out of state 2 hours away and he has not spent time with her to know and bond with her. He filed court papers but I fear the safety of my child leaving the only caregiver and environment she knows overnight. We have court tomorrow and I’m nervous a judge will allow him to take her?! Please help I’m not sure what to do
A: Try relaxing. The court will decide correctly based on the child's best interest and fairness to both parents. This is what family court judges do and they do it very well. Taking the high moral ground, histrionics, and disparaging the child's father doesn't work unless you have credible facts to support it. There are divorced couples living thousands of miles apart that share parenting time.
A: There are many factors the court will consider in making its decision and I don’t have enough information to give you any guidance; you may want to consider consulting with an attorney so you fully know your rights and what the court will consider. If you feel uncomfortable at court tomorrow you can ask the court to postpone the date so you can consult with an attorney.
A: Trying to represent yourself in any legal proceeding, especially a family matter is unwise, to put it charitably. You need an in person consultation with an experienced matrimonial attorney, who can review all previous legal proceedings and documents. Then the attorney will be able to advise you how to proceed. You need to ask yourself, can I afford not to have an attorney? Good luck.
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