Q: My daughters mother has history of drugs and jail time. Do I have a chance for custody once I establish paternity?
When my daughter was born I went into the army. While in the army I was told her mother took her and left the state. 5 years ago the grandmother contacted my mother. I have been seeing my daughter regularly for 5 years and she has been living with me past couple months due to heath issues of grandmother that she had lived with for years while mom was on drugs and in and out of jail. No custody order was ever established due to me not being put on birth certificate. Do I have a shot of gaining custody once o establish paternity due to mothers history of drugs and my fear of her relapsing again... she has multiple times
A: The primary consideration by the court as to whether custody should be modified is whether it would be in the best interests of the child. The court decides this by reviewing a variety factors. If you decide you want to consider seeking custody, I suggest that you first meet with a family law attorney in your area to determine whether it's a good idea for you and your child.
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