How can i file for custody of my child
Filing for Custody | NY CourtHelp
When you come to court about custody or visitation for your child, you may have a choice: whether to file a custody petition and have your case heard in front of a Judge or court attorney-referee or to have your case referred to mediation.
If you already have a custody or visitation order for your child from Family Court, you can use the Custody/Visitation Modification DIY Program to ask the court to change the order or the Custody/Visitation Enforcement DIY Program to ask the court to enforce it if it is not being followed.
Who Can File for Custody
Anyone who has an important role in a child's life may ask the court for custody. You don't have to be the child's parent. When a Judge decides custody between a parent and someone who is not a parent, he or she will consider if there are "extraordinary circumstances" first. If there are extraordinary circumstances, then the Judge will consider what is in the best interest of the child.
The person who starts the case is called the "Petitioner." The case is against the "Respondent".
Where to File for Custody
Custody cases are usually started in Family Court. The petition should be filed in the county where the child lives. Sometimes, if the parents are married and getting a divorce, one of the parents file for custody as part of the divorce in Supreme Court. The custody order is part of the Divorce Judgment.
How Much Does It Cost
It is free to file a custody petition in Family Court. If you get a lawyer, it is your responsibility to pay for the lawyer's services.
After Filing for Custody
After filing the custody petition, the petition and summons must "served" (delivered) on the other side in person. If a non-parent is filing for custody, the petition must be served to both parents. The summons will tell both sides when and where to come to Family Court for the custody hearing.
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What you can file to ask for a child custody and visitation order | California Courts
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There are different types of cases and papers you can file to ask for a child custody and visitation (parenting time) order. Which type of case or papers you can file depends on your situation, like whether you and the other parent are married or you already filed a family law case.
If you have a family law case, you can file a
Request for Order in that caseIf there's already a family law case involving the child in California, then you can file a Request for Order (form FL-300) to ask the judge to make or change an order in that case about child custody and visitation (parenting time). Common family law cases are divorces or parentage (paternity) cases.
If you and the other parent agree about what orders you want, you can also ask the judge to make your agreement an order.
Generally, if there is a case in another State about custody of the child, you will need to file papers in that State to ask for custody orders. Talk to your court's Self-Help Center staff to find out your options, or talk to a lawyer for advice.
How to Request an Order
If you do not have a family law case, you need to start one to ask for custody and visitation (parenting time) orders
You first need to start a family law case (like a divorce between you and the other parent or a parentage case). Then, you can ask in that case for child custody and visitation orders. Which type of case you start depends on your situation.
Typically, the child will need to have lived in California for the past 6 months (unless they are less than 6 months old) in order for a California judge to make a decision about custody. If the child has been living in another State for the past 6 months, then often you need to file a case where the child lives now. Ask your court's Self-Help Center staff or get legal advice if you aren't sure if California is the right state to file in.
If you and the other person . . . | You can file a . . . |
---|---|
Are married or in a domestic partnership and want to divorce or legally separate | Petition for divorce or legal separation |
Are married or in a domestic partnership and do not want to divorce or legally separate | Petition for Custody and Support |
Are not married or in a domestic partnership and you are not both the child's legal parent | Petition to Determine Parentage |
Are not married or in a domestic partnership, but are both the child's legal parent (for example, you both signed a Voluntary Declaration of Parentage or legally adopted the child) | Petition for Custody and Support -or- Petition to Determine Parentage |
Have a child together and you need protection from the other parent | Request for a Domestic Violence Restraining Order |
If you are not the child's parent but want custody of the child because the parents are not able to care for the child, find out more about guardianships. This is when the court orders someone other than a child's parent to have custody of the child.
We arrange custody of a child with living parents
Children are the most unprotected category of people in society. Sometimes it is they who need protection more than adults. In life, there are situations in which fathers and mothers do not show the necessary care for their children. There are solutions to this problem in the legislation. One solution to the problem is guardianship.
Free consultation on family issues specialist Sergey Borisovich Volkov REQUEST A CALL
WHEN DO YOU NEED GUARDIANSHIP FOR MINORS?
Guardianship of a minor is issued in the event that the father and mother do not fully fulfill their obligations to the child. To obtain the status of a guardian for a child who has parents, the law establishes the following.
- This can be both a physical and mental disorder, in which there is no full-fledged care for the child.
- Field of activity related to permanent and unlimited business trips.
- The territory of residence of the father and mother is in another city or country.
- Lack of opportunity to provide your own child with things necessary for life, growth and development.
- The desire of parents to give up their child on a voluntary basis.
The Family Code still contains reasons related to the return of the father and mother of the child. Parents have not reached the 16-year return, and the relationship is not registered according to the norms of the legislation of the Russian Federation.
WHO CAN BECOME A GUARDIAN, WHAT REQUIREMENTS ARE THE LAW
- Legal legislation puts the interests of the child at the head. That is why a prerequisite for the life of the baby and his social development is to improve the standard of living and his environment before the change of guardianship. A complete list of requirements is specified in article 146 of the Family Code
- The guardian must have full legal capacity. This means that the guardian is obliged to have a legal form for the commission of legal acts, and it is he who bears absolute responsibility for the execution of any actions related to the field of jurisprudence.
- It is unacceptable to have criminal or administrative punishment, as well as cases of deprivation of parental rights from a person who wants to become a guardian and take care of a child.
A person who is ready to take responsibility for a minor citizen will not be appointed as a guardian if he has a chronic drug or alcohol addiction (a mandatory medical examination of candidates for guardianship is carried out). And also people with the first group of disability are not allowed to guardianship.
HOW TO GET GUARDIANCY OF A CHILD
The legal legislation of the Russian Federation provides for only two main possibilities for obtaining custody of a child:
- - the presence of written consent from the biological parents
- - availability of documents indicating the deprivation of legal parents of their parental rights
WHAT CHILDREN ARE ALLOWED TO GET CUSTODIANS
- Before the age of 14 of the minor.
- In case of deprivation of the father and mother of the rights to the child, then until the age of 18, and in exceptional situations up to 23 years.
- When there is a temporary lack of opportunities for full-fledged child care.
Guardianship for a certain period of time is issued in the following cases:
- The father and mother officially terminated their marriage.
- A person who has not reached the age of majority attends an educational institution located far from the place of residence
- An unfavorable economic situation in the family or one of the parents has a serious physical or mental deviation.
GUARDIANSHIP OF A SICK CHILD WITH A DISABILITY
The process for obtaining guardianship of a minor with a disability is very different from that of a child without a disability. All this is due to the fact that disabled children are more defenseless. According to the law, disability is considered to be physical and mental disabilities.
- A person who wants to become a guardian of a child with a disability must go through the most difficult procedure.
- Proper comprehensive medical examination.
- Written parental consent is required. If this consent is not provided by the guardian, the registration process is very complicated.
GET A PRICE
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Relatives, especially grandmothers, have priority in matters of guardianship. And all because grandmothers, like no one else, can replace a mother for a child.
Although relatives have the first priority when applying for guardianship, the package of documents for guardianship remains unchanged. Of course, the desire of the persons in respect of whom guardianship is being issued is taken into account in accordance with the law, but as practice shows, children with a great desire remain to live with close relatives.
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE GUARDIAN
The Family Code is the document regulating the main processes related to guardianship and guardianship, and in disputable situations it is necessary to refer to the federal normative act (law).
A person who has taken custody of a minor is obliged:
- The guardian is obliged to provide his ward with housing, clothing and food.
- The guardian takes care of the health of his or her ward and takes measures for treatment in case of symptoms indicating illness.
- The guardian is obliged to provide the minor with all conditions for comprehensive development, provide an opportunity for education.
- The guardian must meet the needs of the child until the age of 16.
- The guardian must have common residence with the ward until he reaches the age of 16 years.
- When changing the place of residence, the person who has issued guardianship is obliged to notify the guardianship authorities about this.
- The guardian is obliged to own and use the property of the ward with the written permission of the authorized bodies.
- The funds of a minor are spent only on his needs. The guardian submits an annual report for the money of his ward.
A person who has taken custody of a minor has the right:
- A person who has taken custody of a minor has the right to use the things of a minor until the age of 14, and with the permission of the child up to 16 years of age. A person in respect of whom guardianship has been issued begins to participate in legal transactions on his own, only when he reaches the established age.
- The person who has issued guardianship independently establishes the methods of the educational process of the ward, but the guardianship authorities have the right to express their opinion.
- The guardian receives money for the child he has taken into custody.
- If the person who has issued guardianship has a decreased financial condition, or health problems have begun, he has the right to cancel guardianship in the relevant authorities.
WHAT DOCUMENTS DO YOU NEED?
Due to the fact that when formalizing guardianship, guardianship authorities entrust the life and health of a minor child, this process is rather laborious and requires a large amount of materials, which reflect the maximum information about the guardian. Documents related to the materials required for registration of guardianship:
- Identity document (passport).
- A complete and consistent account of the life of the person who draws up guardianship (autobiography). The autobiography reflects information about education, places of residence and places of work. Providing false information may result in liability, up to criminal liability.
- Certificates indicating the financial condition of the guardian. In the case when a person has more than one source of income, information on all is required.
- Standard statement of the competent authorities to which the person holding guardianship expresses his desire.
- Written consent is required under the condition that the parents have rights to the child.
- Pension certificate. Required for grandparents if they decide to become guardians of their grandson.
- A document (certificate) certifying the fact that the person formalizing guardianship has no criminal record.
PROCEDURE AND NUANCES OF THE PROCEDURE
The state guardianship authorities are responsible for documenting guardianship in our country. A citizen who wants to take a child to himself must collect a complete package of these documents and together with him apply to the guardianship authorities at the place of residence. It is there that all the necessary checks will be carried out and the person will be able to obtain a legal document on guardianship.
Having received all the necessary documents, the guardianship authorities are obliged to form an independent commission of guardianship department employees at the candidate's place of residence. The final goal of the commission is to draw up a special. act. The commission is obliged to leave within three days at the place of residence of a person who is ready to become a guardian. On the fact of the actions performed, an act is drawn up on checking the living conditions in which the child will be.
If the commission makes a positive decision on this act, then the guardianship department inspector must verify the authenticity of all previously submitted documents. After 10 working days, employees of the guardianship department are required to notify the person who submitted the application about their decisions in writing.
If the issue is successfully resolved, a guardianship order is issued. This legal document will be valid for two years.
A child who has reached the age of 10 years at the time of legal guardianship has the right to make his own final decision on the appointment of a guardian. Obligatory only in case of full consent of the child is it possible to complete the guardianship procedure.
Custody of a child Ukraine (Kyiv) ▷ Registration of guardianship and guardianship of children through the court - YuK Nakaz
Book a consultation from 750 UAH
details about the cost here sample - STATEMENT OF CLAIM for divorce and recovery of alimony for the maintenance of a minor child
Under guardianship and guardianship are understood the forms of social arrangement of children regulated by the legislation of Ukraine, due to certain circumstances deprived of parental care. Guardianship is established when the child is under 14 years of age. A guardian acting in the interests of a minor is his legal representative, including in transactions and other legal procedures. Guardianship of children is established for citizens belonging to the age category of 14-18 years. Such persons may be directly involved in certain legal proceedings, acting with the consent of the trustee.
The purpose of establishing guardianship or trusteeship is to ensure the protection of the rights and interests of minors. The duties of guardians and trustees are equated with the duties of parents, which involves taking care of the health and moral development of the child, as well as the education and maintenance of the ward.
According to the current legislation, guardianship and trusteeship can be established in relation to such categories of citizens as:
- persons under the age of eighteen, in the event of the death of their parents;
- children whose parents were deprived of parental rights by a court decision or are in places of detention;
- persons declared incompetent due to certain diseases;
- persons classified as having limited legal capacity as a result of alcohol or drug addiction;
- relatively able-bodied citizens whose impaired state of health does not allow them to fully take care of themselves.
A guardian or custodian of a child may be appointed by a government agency or court on such grounds as:
- parental incapacity, confirmed by relevant documents;
- death of parents or declaration of their death by judicial procedure;
- recognition of the child's parents as missing;
- deprivation of parental rights, as a result of which the obligations of the parents are terminated. Also, these provisions of the law apply to persons deprived of their liberty.
In the process of establishing guardianship, documents will be required, the list of which is regulated by the current rules for the procedure.
For a child:
- Copy of birth certificate.
- Official papers that can confirm the status of an orphan child, in particular:
- Death certificates of both parents.
- Documents issued by the registration authority and containing information about the father of the child.
- A copy of the court decision declaring the parents missing, deprived of parental rights, incompetent, serving sentences in places of detention or in custody. If the parents have been declared legally deceased, death certificates will also be required.
- A document confirming that the parents have diseases that prevent them from fulfilling their duties of raising and (or) supporting the child. Such a conclusion must be issued by a special expert commission.
- A tossing report drawn up by law enforcement officials when a child is abandoned or left in a medical facility.
- Identification number of the minor (if he received one).
- Certificate of family composition issued by the ZhEK or the microdistrict committee.
- Documents that confirm the ownership of a minor citizen. In particular, this applies to real estate.
- Written list of property belonging to the child, compiled by the child welfare officer.
- Health certificate, as well as a conclusion that determines the level of physical and mental development.
For the guardian you will need:
- A copy of the passport of a citizen of Ukraine.
- Application, which can be drawn up and signed by both spouses.
- Copy of marriage certificate if the husband and wife wish to establish joint custody of the child.
- Statement of income containing information relating to the last six months.
- Documents showing that the future guardian has real estate and other property.
- Certificate of completion of a special training course, during which the features of interaction with children deprived of parental care are considered.
- Certificates of health of the guardian and the absence of a criminal record for each of the applicants.
- Written consent of all relatives who have reached the age of majority living in the same area as the future guardian.
A variety of disputes about children can arise between parents. Since the legislation gives parents not only rights regarding children, but also responsibilities, conflicts can be either over evasion of parental responsibilities, or in connection with the infringement of parental rights.
Of course, at first it is better to try to resolve the conflict outside the walls of the court. But very often, spouses never find a way out of this situation without the help of the court or other competent authorities. In some cases, you can do without a trial, but you will have to involve the guardianship authorities. This body is empowered to provide the mother and father with oral or written explanations about a family conflict that has arisen between them. However, the conclusions of the guardianship authorities are exclusively advisory in nature.
To resolve a child custody dispute once and for all, you must go to court. The courts consider the following family disputes about children:
- Disputes about the child's place of residence.
- Disputes related to the parentage of a child.
- Disputes over the recovery of alimony.
- Disputes about the return of a child who is with third parties.
- Disputes of a special category: deprivation of rights to a child, restriction of parental rights, restoration of all rights to a son or daughter, cases on the abolition of restriction of parental rights.
The list of disputes listed above is not exhaustive. Parents may well have other kinds of disagreements about their child. There are also cases that are resolved only in the order of special proceedings (for example, adoption cases).
Company Services and Benefits
In the process of establishing guardianship or guardianship, unforeseen situations often arise that require certain legal knowledge. With the help of our company, you can avoid bureaucratic delays and eliminate in advance the reasons why the decision of state bodies may not be in your favor.
If you have a dispute about your child's upbringing, residence, or any other reason, you simply need to use the services of a lawyer. Our specialists have extensive experience in such cases, which will allow them to quickly navigate the situation and find the right solution to your problem.
The cost and terms of registration of guardianship
The cost of our services, as well as the estimated time for processing all documents, depend on each specific situation and are always negotiated individually.