Child Custody Abuses
What do I do if my ex-spouse disobeys a visitation order?
There are a lot of things you can do if your ex-spouse disobeys a visitation order. You can call the police, although sometimes they don't want to be involved. Or if you have a court order, you can go in and hold them in contempt.
What is "parental abduction"?
Parental abduction is when a parent who has visitation rights refuses to return the child at the end of visitation rights and runs away with them, or something. Abduction can be anything like taking the child and running away to Mexico, as in one of my cases, or it can be just holding them over your custodial period. So, let's say you've got them for Thanksgiving Day but your parenting plan says you can't have them on Friday, and then you forgot; that would be considered abduction too. It just depends on how the other party treats it.
What do I do if I my ex-spouse has abducted my child?
If the other party has abducted your child, I would warn the schools. I would call the police and make sure that they have copies of the order - the parenting plan - between you guys, just to find your child and get him or her back to safety. The point with these stupid custody cases is I feel people don't use their common sense. You're protecting your child here. Fighting over custody is supposed to be for your child, not to harm the other side, and lot of these custody cases are one parent trying to hurt the other parent because of something that did or didn't happen between them. It's not about them, it's about the child, and that's what child custody is all about.
What should I do if I suspect my ex-spouse is harming my child?
If you suspect that your ex-spouse is abusing your child, whether physically or psychologically, you need to seek immediate help. You need to report it to the police, call your lawyer, get back to court and go in for full custody. Do anything, use your common sense. Don't think about the other side, think about your child and the danger of abuse.
