Children Speaking to the Judge

[soonermark]

I have decided to go to court without an attorney. My son and Daughter (11 and 12) want to live with me. My 13 year old currentlylives with me but there is no court order. My court date is tomorrow and I received a response from her attorney this past friday and even spoke to him on the phone. Considering that I do not have "custody" of any of my kids do I have the right to take them to court with me? My daughter called her mother this evening and asked if she could go with me tomorrow. Here is what she said to my daughter. "no you can't go but if your dad wants to take you he can" she like to play word games. I have actually been discussing this with her and I thought we had come to an agreement this past Thursday, however, she took the document that to her attorney and he told her not togive me custody ofthe son that is living with me but to split joint custody of all three and continue to allow him to live with me while the other 2 split time 50/50. The only difference between this and what I thought we had agreed on is that in the papers I drew up I had full custody of the son living with me and we did joint custody for the other 2 with her having the final say with the important decisions. I felt this would be best because we never agree on anything and 50/50 would not work in our case. In both documents we split the time 50/50 with my youngest 2 kids.

Now in the paperwork her attorney sent to me, he is stating I owe her for medical bills that have not been yet. (braces for my kids). She also says I owe her for attorney from back in 2000. I have a signed document stating that I don't owe her for past attorney fees. She is also stating that there is not a permanent and substantial change of condition to warrant a change of custody, however an attorney told me that my kids asking to come live with me is just that. All three of my kids are way beyond there years unfortunately and have very valid reasons as to why they want to. ANY ADVICE?????????



p.s. Idid ask her attorney if he planned to have my 2 youngest children there and of course while talking down tome he told me no. My ex said she would not even be there and her attorney was going to try to get a continuance.

[Mr. Knowitall]

I don't believe it is appropriate for parents to unnecessarily involve their children in their divorce and custody proceedings, including taking them to court hearings where their presence is not legally required.

You should consider hiring a lawyer to assist you.

[soonermark]

I don't think it is either, however when the mother will not listen to her kids and they are begging me to let them, I believe they are already neck deep in this. I have tried and tried and tried to work it out with her outside of the courtroom but she know she will lose the child support. When a parents focus is money and not the kids good things rarely happen.