Q: Can I contact a Judge?
I have kinship care of a 3 year old. I have had him for over 2 years. Mom lives on the streets with hardly any contact and dad just released from prison. Dad is now petitioning the courts to gain custody. The child is scared of him and begs not to go with him each visit. Dad was in prison for multiple domestic assault on mom. Can I contact the judge without dad knowing because I am afraid he might do something if he knows I contact the judge?
A: No, you cannot contact the judge directly. If you are named as a party in the petition, and you are unrepresented, then you may speak with the judge in the presence of the father's attorney, but you cannot speak to the judge privately. Also, if you are named as a party you may (and should) submit an answer to his petition. If your kinship placement was a result of placement by the juvenile courts, then you should also alert Children's Division and the Juvenile Center that the father is attempting to gain custody so their jurisdiction over the child is not disrupted. If dad is only filing his petition against mom, then you may need to become involved as an intervening party. It sounds like there are a lot of facets to your situation, so I urge you to contact a family/juvenile attorney as soon as possible.
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