Q: My parents took emergency custody of my children and now refuse to let me see or speak to them...what are my rights?
My parents hired a lawyer & filed emergency custody of my children b/c one of my exes lied & said I abandoned them with him b/c he got in a fight w/my son [14] (note, he is not the bio dad, but offered for them to stay with him for a weekend til I got moved into a new place). I have had contact w/my parents twice since 2015. They now refuse to let me see or speak to my kids & their lawyer keeps delaying the hearing. They did not notify any of the respondents prior to custody being taken. They said they didn't know who my daughter's dad was (which is a lie), although he's not on the BC... said they didn't notify my son's dad because of a protective order, which is understandable... but that they also didn't notify him for fear that he would contact me & I would flee with the children... which is further from the truth. I have never been away from my children at all. I don't want to legally overstep my bounds, but there is not a no-contact or restraining order. What are my rights?
A: This depends on large part on what the emergency custody orders say, particularly with regard to visitation. If this is a youth court matter, then the goal is reunification of the family. If, however, it is in chancery court, then you face an even harder battle. Your best bet is going to be to consult with an attorney to review the emergency custody order and to discuss your options as you move forward.
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