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Anyone an have advice on visitation hearings?

Cassie - posted on 10/31/2011 ( 2 moms have responded )

2

0

My daughter is 7 and has not seen her father since her was in a hit and run accident with her while he was intoxicated when she was a year old. I have pressed domestic assault charges on him in the past also. He went 4 years without paying child support and is now paying $52.00 a month. He has gone through the courts and has started the process to have visitation with her. He has been in and out of jail and treatment throughout her life. I really think this will hinder her to have him come into her life and am looking for advice on what to do in this situation. Thanks!

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JuLeah - posted on 10/31/2011

3,133

38

He might be granted visitation, you can ask it be supervised. Don't supervise yourself.

A company can be hired ... the down side is the people they hire went to high school (maybe) and were required to watch a 10 hr video ... so, not a lot of training or education, but at least eye on your child

Get her into see a mental health professional who will be willing to say the visits are or are not having a neg. impact on your daughter.

Your word won't mean much in court, but the word of a mental health professional will carry some weight

You can ask he complete a DV treatment program - granted, even the very best program have only about a 5% sucess rate, meaning about 95% of the fellows will commit another act of domestic violence at some point, but they will also assess his risk for hurting her, his risk as an addict ...

you can ask he be in treatment for addiction

And you can ask that he be doing well in all programs before visitation can happen

You might not get all of this, but you might. And the hoops he needs to jump through might prove more trouble then they are worth to him

Never, ever talk in court about how you don't want your daughter with him becuase he is a (jerk, ass ...)

Always keep your focus on 'best interests of the child' Her safety, her well being, her emotional well being ... what is best for her

Make sure you have all doctor records that back up the DV, make sure you have all police reports that back up your DV and never do or say anything he might use on you ... never yell at him for example

Make sure your legal rep. has knowledge of DV. A lot of people say they understand DV, but that just means they read a book or took a class .... and you and I both know, if that is your experiance, you don't know anything about DV

Good luck

Cynthia - posted on 10/31/2011

282

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Ask for supervised visitation. You need to gather whatever you can as evidence that he has been in and out of jail/treatment (when &why). You need to prove the child would be in danger if the visits were not supervised. If you have any Q's send me a pm and I will help the best i can.

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