Quick background - I have had my step-granddaughter in mine and my husbands custody (voluntarily left with us by her parents) since March 10. I had a court date of today (aug 16) given as we are looking to get an interim custody order. The respondant mother (my husband's daughter) is nowhere to be found and was not served and the father showed up for court today but was also nowhere to be found for the last month and just heard of the court date 6 days ago and only saw the application and affidavits today for the first time. Essentially what I would like to know is what happens exactly at a first attendance. The next date that we have to appear is Oct. 12 (it was put over so that the father can get a lawyer and apparantly he is not happy that I am looking to get a custody order for his daughter) and I would like to know why I am not seeing a judge. Can a court clerk in first attendance grant my custody order? I also have concerns now that the father is going to see a lawyer that his lawyer will tell him that as the father he has the right to come and take his daughter. CAS is involved with this but only on an assistance level. She was never placed with us and there are no court papers through CAS. They are more or less just overseeing things. Do I have the right to keep her or would I have to release her to her father if he showed up to take her?
Any info or help with any of these questions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Sloane
Any info or help with any of these questions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Sloane
Comment