QUESTION
Is it illegal for her to disappear with my children and can I legally call the police and have them track her down for a well check visit?
Asked on Sep 29th, 2014 on Child Custody - Washington
More details to this question:
I moved out of state looking for better work opportunities. My children live with their mother. Since I have moved, she has moved from her previous address and changed her phone number and/or set up her phone to not receive calls from my number. The times I have had contact with her, she has refused to allow me to speak with my 2 children. There is no history of abuse and I have been a present and stable father. I have not paid child support since I moved because I am having trouble finding work. She first told me that when I pay the support, I can speak to them. As soon as I find work, I plan to get a lawyer and fight for documented visitation and wording that won't allow her to move and not tell me. Until then, what do I do?
1 ANSWER
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You didn't say whether you were married to the mother or if not, if you have established paternity legally. If the answer is yes to either question, you can go to court on a habeas corpus action. If the answer is no, then you have no standing until you have established legal paternity. Moving and not paying support constitutes abandonment. This is something that should have been dealt with before you left. At this point, my suggestion is that you immediately get a lawyer and address this. The longer you wait, the less you will get. You can call the police with the last known address and see if they can do anything, but even if they can, it won't be much. It's a legal matter not a police matter.
Answered on Sep 30th, 2014 at 5:27 PM