Get free answers to your Child Custody legal questions from lawyers in your area.
My mother is 62. She's has quite a bit of medical problems. She also takes care of my 86yrs grandmother, who has dementia. She also has custody of my sisters children. She got a third offense shoplifting charge. Her public defender wants her to take a plea of 18 months. Is that the... View More 
answered on Oct 30, 2018
A shoplifting 3rd offense is a 0-10 year felony. The State must prove the prior convictions are proper enhancement convictions. For example whether or not she had an attorney could mean the prior conviction can not be used to enhance this current charge. Even if the necessary prerequisites... View More
My boyfriend has been in my child’s life since he was born but he isn’t the biological father. The biological father and i does not associate with each other, and hasn’t since the beginning of my pregnancy out of me being scared of him and what he may do to my and my child.
answered on Oct 19, 2018
A spouse of a biological parent can adopt that parent's child, but I don't know of a situation where a boyfriend adopted a child. The point of adoption a step-parent adoption is to provide two parents in a stable home for a child. A marriage shows a commitment between two people and a... View More
Our daughter has spent equal amounts of time in each household, however, the relationship between the father and I has become increasingly strained. I have taken a travel physical therapy position in Texas and want to move there with my daughter. At first her father agreed, but then fought me about... View More
answered on Oct 11, 2018
You question does not state whether there has been previous family action, so I am assuming there has not. Your question doesn't state how long your daughter has been living with the father. I'm assuming she and he are in South Carolina. You would have to file a case in family court... View More
He was born in Columbia, sc and I currently pay child support.
He makes it known verbally that he wanted to come with me.
They have been in Connecticut for the past 5 years possibly.
answered on Oct 8, 2018
Your question doesn't state whether there is a South Carolina court order granting custody to the mother and, if so, whether you still live in the county where the order was issues, and whether the mother ever registered the order in Connecticut. And your questions does not state the age of... View More
My ex has threatened to take my kids away. He has a police record and was admitted to the hospital for trying to committed suicide. He lives with his parents. I'm a good mother in the medical field and I have my own place. Does he have any rights? I consider myself as the legal guardian(full... View More
answered on Sep 29, 2018
Putting someone's name on a birth certificate only raises a rebuttable presumption that the person named is the biological parent. For a child born out of wedlock, the mother's paternity is accepted since she gave birth to the child, but the father's paternity has to be established... View More
Would it be considered abandonment If i leave without my children due to not knowing if i have a place to live and can he prevent me from taking them. Not leaving state just moving out of the marital house and filing
answered on Sep 28, 2018
Under South Carolina law, if you move out of the marital home and leave your children with your husband you increase the chance that he will be awarded temporary custody of the children if he files for divorce or separate support and maintenance. It's best to plan your move, get a place to... View More
The biological father has been emotionally abusive and unstable on whether he wants to be a part of the child’s life. I have stopped all contact with biological father because of this. I plan on doing an adoption and want to know if he will be able to fight against the adoption if child is born... View More
answered on Sep 9, 2018
Marriage to someone other than the putative father does not terminate his parental rights. As for adoption, the putative father's parental rights must be terminated as part of the adoption case. Under South Carolina law, if a parent fails to support or visit a child for a continuous six month... View More
I sent my kids up there for the summer and she kept one of my kids with out me saying that it was okay I didnt approve that he could stay now I'm trying to fight to get her to give him back the court stated I neneeneneed to fill a paper but not sure what to do or how to go about it . I know... View More
answered on Sep 5, 2018
Your question doesn't say if you have a court ordered custody. If you have a court order granting you custody and setting out the mother's visitation rights, you can file a Rule to Show Cause. That form can be obtained from the clerk of court's office in the family court. The Rule to... View More
I am primary custodial parent and have all decisions except education. Montessori is not suited for my son, in my opinion. The Montessori school he attends is a public school. I would think the court would side with a traditional setting instead of Montessori, even though she has educational... View More
answered on Aug 23, 2018
If you ex-wife has the authority to make educational decisions pursuant to a court order, you would have to file a new court case seeking to modify that provision of the order. Modifications cases all have the same requirement which is a showing that there has there been a substantial change in... View More
My son was attacked by my boyfriend's pitbull and kept making excuses about getting rid of the dog. A few days later I found out he was cheating on me so I left and moved to SC to be with my parents because I have been unemployed since having my child. My father has cancer and they are unable... View More
answered on Jul 12, 2018
Your question does not state whether there has been prior child support or custody court action in Virginia. If there has been, Virginia has continuing jurisdiction. If there has been no prior court action, Virginia will still be considered the child's home state under the Uniform Child... View More
answered on Jun 20, 2018
A child born out of wedlock is presumed to be the child of the mother, but the father's paternity has to be established in a family court case in order for him to assert his parental rights. A father whose parental rights have not been judicially established has no say concerning the child.... View More
He is on the birth certificate
answered on May 24, 2018
An unwed father's paternity, and therefore his parental rights, has to be established by a family court order even if his name is on the birth certificate. Paternity will be the first issue that will need to be addressed in an initial child support, visitation or custody case. Paternity can be... View More
Man lives at her house does not pay rent or expenses but buys food and groceries at times. When he gets drunk-almost daily, very aggressive punching wall, cursing all the time and call her disrespectful names. My daughter is friend with man’s mother who told her to never marry him, call the cops... View More
answered on Apr 14, 2018
Your daughter can file for an order of protection through family court to ask the court to order him out of her house, to grant a restraining order, to grant her custody of her daughter and child support. The petition for an order of protection can be obtained from the family court clerk of... View More
my daughters paternal grandma had a temp custody order granted to her in 2008 .. it was dismissed in 2009... i do not have my daughter back, she collects child support via scdss from me on my daughter, she withholds that temp order's visitation rights from me and also locked my daughter away... View More
answered on Apr 14, 2018
The better approach would be to file a case in family court seeking return of your daughter and dismissal of child support action and naming grandmother and SCDSS as defendants
But he does pay child support only when his freedom is in jeopardy. My son doesnt know him let alone as his father. My fiance however wants to legally adopt him place his name on the birth certificate and give my son his last name. This is the man my son knows as daddy. How do i go about getting... View More
answered on Mar 27, 2018
The father may be willing to sign a consent to relinquish his parental rights in turn for the dismissal of his child support obligation. Alternatively, the grounds to terminate parental rights is if the father has failed to visit or support the child for six months, but the failure to visit or... View More
Not sure if anyone knows the answer. Almost 3 years ago I moved from VA to SC with my son. I have full physical and legal custody and have since my 6 year old was less than a year old. Recently my son has been asking about changing his last name from his (absent) dads to my last name (never... View More
answered on Mar 11, 2018
Virginia has continuing jurisdiction because the custody order was issued there. You can register your custody order in family court in the county where you live and ask the court to take jurisdiction which would then allow you to file for a name change in that county. Having South Carolina take... View More
my sister has custody and she told me this is the legal?
answered on Feb 13, 2018
A written consent to terminate parental rights must state that you are signing over your rights freely and voluntarily AND a lawyer must review the consent with you and explain your rights before you sign and your consent must be witnessed. You mention nothing about how your sister came to have... View More
answered on Feb 8, 2018
No, to relinquish parental rights, the law requires that the relinquishing parent be represented by a lawyer in executing the relinquishment document and the relinquishment must be voluntary.
answered on Feb 8, 2018
The Court's order will remain in full force and effect until it is replaced by a subsequent order modifying it. Child custody, visitation and child support are always modifiable if either party petitions for a modification AND if the evidence presented shows that there has been a... View More
answered on Jan 18, 2018
When a report is made to DSS they conduct an investigation to determine if there is evidence of abuse or neglect. If they find no such evidence after investigation, they will issue an "Unfounded" report and close the case. If they find there is evidence of abuse or neglect they will open... View More
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
