Q: What to do when a verbal agreement surrounding custody isn't being honored?
A friend of mine made a verbal agreement with the father of her children to get away from his abuse. He told her that if she gave him full custody and let him keep the house that he wouldn't contact her in any way including child support. She wanted the details of the agreement added to the custody order but was told by his lawyer that there couldn't be anything about support or an agreement included in the custody order. She signed the custody order and the father now has full custody and is living in the house that she said she would give him in the agreement. Now she is stuck with a verbal agreement that is not being honored. The father is seeking child support and doing other things to torment her. She fulfilled her part of the agreement and just wants to move on without any interaction with him or the kids. What can be done?
A:
She can immediately file for custody -- and should. She should also consult with a good family law attorney as well to discuss her various options and plot her next move(s), including about dealing with the house situation.
Feel free to pass my name along to her and have her contact me. Best of luck to her.
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