How do u get temporary custody of a child
Obtaining Emergency Temporary Custody of Your Children
In many custody proceedings, whether it is through divorce, modification of custody or simply establishing initial custody and parentage, there are emergency circumstances where a father can — and should — ask the court to grant him emergency temporary custody over the minor child.
In order to have grounds to ask for emergency temporary custody, a father must be able to prove that there are serious circumstances that warrant an emergency change.
This can include showing the child in question could potentially be removed from the jurisdiction of the court (usually the mother threatening to take the child out of the state and never returning), or there is fear that potential danger or imminent harm will occur if the child continues to stay in the mother’s care (such as the mother recently obtaining a DUI with the child in the car and a history of drinking heavily around the child).
In most states, a father can file a pleading with an attached affidavit asking the court to grant him emergency temporary custody before having to go to court or even noticing the other party if the circumstances are serious enough that there is a fear of immediate harm that will come to the child if the child remains in the care and control of the mother.
However, in many states, if the father files this pleading and affidavit and the judge signs it, the father must get the mother served as soon as possible because the judge will immediately schedule a hearing on the matter within three days of issuing and signing the order for emergency temporary custody.
The best advice to father’s wishing to obtain emergency temporary custody is that if you see or find out about a dangerous circumstance surrounding the mother’s conduct that would warrant filing an emergency custody pleading, contact a lawyer immediately — do not wait.
There has been too many times that judge’s do not grant this emergency custody at the hearing because this “emergency” circumstance occurred months ago, and the father’s neglect in filing anything right away shows to the court that it was not truly an emergency.
The second piece of advice to father’s wishing to obtain emergency temporary custody would be to wait until he has his scheduled visitation with the minor child when the judge signs the order so that you don’t have to track down the mother to get the child or get the police involved.
If that is not possible or feasible, then have the judge-signed order granting you emergency custody with you at all times and contact the police when you pick up the child from the mother’s location.
The safety of your children is of the utmost importance. If the custodial parent is putting them in danger, it is extremely important for you to take action to remove them from that environment.
Do not hesitate to contact an attorney if you have serious concerns about the welfare of your kids.
Temporary or Concurrent Custody of a Minor Child by an Extended Family Member
Florida Document Specialists offers a low cost, flat-fee solution for preparing and filing a petition for temporary or concurrent custody by extended family members to obtain legal custody of children you are parenting.
Obtaining Temporary Custody or Concurrent Custody of Children in Florida
Sometimes life takes a turn and puts you in situations that you did not anticipate. One such life-changing event is when you find yourself acting as the parent(s) of a child or children of another family member. There are many reasons for such an arrangement, but you should know that it is quite common in Florida, and you are not alone.
Things can go fine for a while, but eventually someone is going to inquire about the legal authority you have over the child(ren) in your care. This most often happens when it is time to:
- Consent to Medical Treatment
- Talk with Doctors or Obtain Medical Records
- Enroll Children in School
- Grant or Withhold Consent for the Child(ren) to be Tested
or Placed in Special School Programs, Including Exceptional Education - Obtain School Records
- Give Consent for School Activities
- Obtain Birth Certificates and Other Official Records
- Perform Other Tasks Necessary for the Care of the Child(ren)
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that a “note” from the parents, even if it is notarized, will bestow all the authority upon you to legally act as a parent. Sometimes it will work for a while, sometimes it won’t. Even if you have Power of Attorney over the child(ren), it’s not uncommon for schools and medical facilities to ask that you demonstrate legal custody by presenting a court order signed by a judge.
You have two options to obtain full legal authority to act as parents. One option is to adopt the child(ren) through a relative adoption. Contrary to what a lot of people think, an adoption of this type can be filed pro se without an attorney. To learn more, please read our page on Florida family adoptions. If adoption is not an option for you, the remaining option is to petition the circuit court in your county for an order of temporary or concurrent custody by extended family member.
An extended family member, as defined under FS Chapter 751 is:
- A relative of a minor child within the third degree by blood or marriage to the parent, or
- The stepparent of a minor child if the stepparent is currently married to the parent of the child and is not a party in a pending dissolution, separate maintenance, domestic violence, or other civil or criminal proceeding in any court of competent jurisdiction involving one or both of the child(ren)’s parents as an adverse party, or an individual who qualifies as “fictive kin” as defined in FS 39. 01.
A relative within the third degree means:
- Grandparent
- Great Grandparent
- Brother or Sister
- Uncle or Aunt
- Niece or Nephew
“Fictive Kin” means:
A person unrelated by birth, marriage, or adoption who has an emotionally significant relationship, which possesses the characteristics of a family relationship, to a child.
You may file a petition for temporary or concurent custody by an extended family member if:
- You have physical custody of the child(ren) and have had physical custody of the child(ren) for at least ten (10) days in any 30-day period within the last 12 months.
- You have the signed, notarized consents of the child(ren)’s legal parents; or
- You are an extended family member who is caring full time for the child(ren) in the role of a substitute parent and with whom the child(ren) is (are) presently living.
What if I have a “notarized letter” from the parent(s)?
Chances are if you’re reading this page, that “notarized letter” you have isn’t working out too well for you. People are often surprised to learn that custody cannot be legally transferred simply by having a document notarized by the parent(s).
Sometimes such a document will “work for a while” and allow you to do various things for the child, but most schools and doctors will require an order signed by a judge. People often learn this when they try to enroll children in school or take them for medical care. Things get more frustrating when they realize that a court case must be filed that could take several months before a hearing is scheduled. This can quickly turn into an emergency.
If you do have a letter or documentation from the parent(s), you will have to explain to the court in your petition why it is insufficient to enable you to do all the things necessary to care for the child(ren).
Does an order of temporary custody by extended family terminate the parental rights of the parents?
The rights of the biological or adoptive parents ARE NOT terminated by an Order of Temporary Custody by Extended Family. Typically, parental rights may only be terminated as part of an adoption proceeding.
One of the parents has never been involved in the child’s life, and I don’t know where he/she is. Do I need to worry about them?
If the missing parent still has their parental rights intact, they must either sign a consent or be served with the petition and be given an opportunity to respond. This is called due process. If a parent’s whereabouts are not known, you must conduct a diligent search to try and locate them. If an address is found, you must attempt to serve them at that address. Service of process can become complicated. If a parent cannot be located or is evading service, you may have to ask the court to serve by publication. This involves putting an ad in a newspaper and following specific procedures.
What are some examples of concurrent custody by extended family member?
The two most common examples are when a single parent must deploy with the military or when a parent(s) will be traveling for extended periods. In these examples, the parents do not want to relinquish custody fully, as they will be back-and-forth with their military service or business travel. We offer a 15% discount to members of the military requiring these services.
Sometimes you need a lawyer.
Some people start their case on their own, pro se, to save money and hire an attorney if the case becomes overly contested. If your case becomes contested or your need legal advice about your rights under the law, you should talk to a licensed family law attorney about your options.
Abuse
Some people inquire about starting a temporary custody by extended family action because the child is being physically or sexually abused or neglected. If this is the case, don’t waste time reaching out to us. The proper procedure is to report any suspected abuse, abandonment, or neglect to the police and/or call 1-800-96-ABUSE. If you are dealing with an emergency, call 911.
If you’ve decided to file your case pro se, we’re here to offer nonlawyer clerical assistance.
If you’ve decided that you don’t need legal advice or representation at this time and want to handle your matter pro se, you’re invited to call us to discuss the nonlawyer legal document preparation services that we officer for temporary or concurrent custody by extended family member in the Florida courts.
How much do you charge for document preparation and E-filing?
We charge a flat fee of $795 and offer a payment plan if needed. This includes the preparation of all documents, online notarizations, eFiling, management of service of process, and preparation of final judgements. If you only need documents prepared to file yourself, we can offer you a reduced rate.
Does your fee include the court filing fee?
No. Typically, the filing fee charged by the circuit court is $400. It will be higher if a summons needs to be issued, and there will be costs associated with obtaining a summons and with service of process. If you are in a low-income situation, you may qualify to have your filing fees waved if you qualify for a determination of civil indigent status.
Temporary custody of a child: without deprivation of parental rights, grandmother
In some situations, children are assigned a guardian for a certain period of time. Parents are not deprived of their rights. The initiative may come from both the minor's parents themselves and from guardianship authorities, neighbors, teachers or caregivers. There are two such situations: parents do not cope with their role in the life of the child, or temporarily do not have opportunity to fulfill their parental responsibilities. The Federal Law governs these measures. dated 04/24/2008 N 48-FZ (as amended on 2905.05.2019) “On guardianship and guardianship." Consider situations where temporary custody of a child is needed.
Contents:
- 1 Provisional custody of a child.
- 2 Guardianship at the request of parents
- 3 Rules for registration of guardianship without deprivation of parental rights
- 4 Documents for temporary guardianship.
- 5 Conclusion
- 5.1 Similar articles
Provisional custody of a child.
When one or both parents use alcohol, drugs, abuse or neglect their children, the law requires that the rights of minors be protected.
Children must be supervised, they must be looked after, they must be educated. If parents cannot provide them with optimal living conditions, the guardianship authorities will take care of this.
In Russia, the legislation does everything to protect the rights of minors, including a policy of loyalty to parents.
Children and parents will not be separated unreasonably. And the guardianship authorities, having learned about the improper care of the child, will not immediately take extreme measures.
They will appoint a temporary guardian for the children, and will talk to the parents, explain under what conditions the child will be returned to the family.
Six months will be given to correct the situation. In some situations, the period is extended up to 8 months.
In what situations is such a measure prescribed?
- If the parents left the child in the hospital, kindergarten, and did not return for him.
- If the neighbors have filed a complaint against the parents for inappropriate conditions for the child.
- If school teachers applied to the guardianship authorities after learning about the use of violence against children in the family.
- If other violations were revealed: the child is not fed, not allowed to go home, not looked after. If a child is alone at night on the street, he leads the life of a homeless child.
In order not to place a child in an orphanage, the guardianship authorities will turn to his closest relatives and try to resolve the situation without deprivation of rights.
Separation of a child from a family is already a big stress. If the grandmother takes care of the child, the child will survive this situation without compromising psychological health.
Guardianship at the request of parents
This is a different kind of guardianship. It is carried out differently, and requires a different design. Parents apply to the guardianship authorities with a statement, they themselves find a temporary guardian.
There are situations when parents simply cannot be with their child:
- Due to moving.
- Business trips.
- Diseases.
- Other circumstances.
It is against the law to simply leave a child and leave. Guardianship authorities can find out about this, and deprive such parents of the rights to the child.
Therefore, temporary guardianship is required.
Most often children are trusted by grandmothers.
The grandmother must collect a package of documents, and after checking by the guardianship and guardianship authorities, a decision will be made to transfer the children to a temporary guardian.
Rules for registration of guardianship without deprivation of parental rights
Temporary custody of a child without deprivation of parental rights is different from guardianship on application.
Temporary custody may last six months, and at the request of the parents, the child may be under the care of the grandmother for up to a year.
If circumstances require, then longer. For example, if the parents are undergoing treatment, or are unable to attend due to work. A document serves as confirmation: a certificate from work or from a medical institution.
How to get temporary custody of a child? The consent of the grandmother is required for the implementation of guardianship duties.
Of the documents, only a statement from all family members living with the grandmother about the consent to take the child into the family temporarily is required. Grandmother's documents are also required: a passport.
And temporary guardianship requires a whole list of documents. It is regulated by RF Decree No. 423 of 2009.
Documents for temporary guardianship.
For temporary guardianship, you will need to collect a package of documents :
- Health certificate.
- A document confirming the right to housing.
- Police clearance certificate.
- Document confirming all income of the temporary guardian.
Other documents are personal papers that need to be photocopy only.
Processing may take 1-2 months, as you will have to undergo an examination for a health certificate.
A police clearance certificate will be prepared for several weeks. Usually it turns out to keep within a month. Therefore, it is worth taking care of the design in advance.
Important! Adoption or permanent custody may require attendance at foster parents' school.
School attendance is desirable but not required for obtaining temporary guardianship. Also, the guardianship authorities cannot require that the living space for the temporary stay of the child be of a certain size.
It is important that the commission evaluates the availability of food in the refrigerator, the cleanliness of the room, and the availability of a bed for the child.
If the guardianship authorities require more than what is required by law, you can file a complaint against their actions, as their actions may affect the timing of the issuance of an order for temporary guardianship at the request of the parents.
This can disrupt plans: a course of treatment or a business trip will not start on time due to the actions of guardianship authorities.
Conclusion
Temporary custody of a child by a grandmother is appointed only after reviewing the entire list of documents. An autobiography is required.
It is compiled in order for the guardianship authorities to assess whether it is possible to entrust the child to this citizen. Like all other documents, an autobiography is necessary, first of all, to ensure the safety of the child.
If the guardian is older than ten years of age, the guardian's written consent to live with a specific guardian will be required. Also, guardianship authorities may request a certificate from the place of study of the child.
To know your rights, check out the full list of documents, it is contained in the Decree of the Russian Federation No. 423 of 2009.
Elena Podbelskaya
Site Experts
Ask a question
Elena Anatolyevna Podbelskaya - editor-in-chief of the portal Rights of families.
Graduated from the bachelor's degree of the State University of Management in Moscow in 2000 - specialization "Management".
Master's degree at SUM in 2002 - specialization "Jurisprudence".
Mamadyshsky municipal district
February 14, 2020, Friday
The child is obliged to live with his legal representatives and not only upon registration, but also in deed. If the legal representative lives separately, then the child is unprotected. a relative cannot, if necessary, protect the child and defend his interests, for example, give consent to medical intervention, etc.
Federal Law No. 48 "On guardianship and guardianship".
Section 12. Preliminary guardianship.
1. In cases where, in the interests of an incapacitated or incompletely capable citizen, he must immediately appoint a guardian or custodian, the guardianship and guardianship authority has the right to adopt an act on the temporary appointment of a guardian or custodian (an act on preliminary guardianship or guardianship), including when removal of a child from parents or persons replacing them, on the basis of Article 77 of the Family Code of the Russian Federation and the inappropriateness of placing a child in an organization for orphans and children left without parental care.
5. Preliminary guardianship or guardianship is terminated if before the expiration of six months from the date of adoption of act on the temporary appointment of a guardian or custodian, the temporarily appointed guardian or custodian is not appointed by the general procedure as a guardian or custodian. In the presence of exceptional circumstances the specified period may be extended up to eight months. If the body of guardianship and guardianship has appointed a person who performed duties by virtue of preliminary guardianship or guardianship within the established period in accordance with the general procedure, the rights and obligations of the guardian or trustee shall be deemed to have arisen from the moment the act on the temporary appointment of the guardian or trustee is adopted.
Article 13 when, for valid reasons, they will not be able to fulfill their parental duties, indicating a specific person. The act of the body of guardianship and guardianship on the appointment of a guardian or custodian at the request of the parents must indicate the period of validity of the guardian or custodian.
3. A trustee in respect of a minor citizen who has reached the age of fourteen years may be appointed by the guardianship and guardianship authority at the request of such a minor citizen, indicating a specific person
parents are on long business trips.
If parents are going on a long-term business trip, they must submit an application to the guardianship authorities indicating who exactly has the right of temporary custody for the entire period of their absence. These can be: adult brothers or sisters of the child, grandparents, aunt or uncle, friends, etc. At the same time, the consent of the person who is responsible for the child must be attached to the application.
A single parent should do the same. If the child does not have close relatives who are willing to take care of the child, the parents submit an application to the guardianship authorities with a request to establish guardianship. In this case, the guardian will be selected by the employees of these bodies.
It should be noted that according to paragraph 5 of the Letter of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation dated August 31, 2010 No. 06-364 "On the application of legislation on guardianship and guardianship in relation to minors", when registering preliminary guardianship, priority should be given not only to grandparents, adult brothers and sisters, as established in Part 5 of Art. 10 of the Federal Law of the Russian Federation of April 24, 2008 No. 48-FZ “On guardianship and guardianship”, but also to other relatives of children, as well as friends of the family (parents) of the child.
Deadlines for establishing temporary (preliminary) guardianship
Preliminary guardianship may be appointed for a period of up to six months (in the presence of exceptional circumstances, this period may be extended to eight months), after which the temporary guardian is obliged to submit documents to the guardianship authorities, necessary for registration of guardianship (guardianship) in the usual manner.