Teenager Refuses to Return Home from His Father's House

[mwilson3]

My question involves guardianship in the State of: Tennessee
I have talked to legal courts in tn and have really not got much of a answer, my 16 yr old told me he wasn't coming home from his dads and that he was old enough to make his on decessions. All I got told was sincemy ex is not compling to our divorce papers was to get him for contempt of court which i have to pay for???? Then my son is home schooled which i told the court that, and if i do fill the contempt how long is that going to take and how long is it going to be before i get him back??? what are they going to do about his schooling???? The way I fill about it is if my son wants to trea tme that way then I am willing to sign all rights to his dad, which is unable to take care of him but no one listens to me, i love my son and dont know what to do.

[Dogmatique]

The court can't tell you anything or do anything unless you actually file a motion. If you can't afford to, you may file a fee waiver request; this is for Shelby County but I expect each county is more or less the same: https://www.shelbycountytn.gov/index.aspx?NID=360

But you need to ask yourself a couple of questions. If you file, Dad could feasibly file for custody himself and the matter likely wouldn't be decided until your son was 18.

What are your son's reasons for not wanting to come home? If his father is unable to care for him, why did you let your son go to visit?