|
The laws do vary tremendously state to state.
My story:
My sister had two young girls- age 2 and newborn. When the second was born, her husband, a womanizing scumbag, took off. My sister developed a very nasty cancer and eventually was unable to care for the kids. My mother moved in and took total care of them and provided a very loving home.
My sister died when the kids were 8 and 6. The scumbag, who never bothered with the kids, shows up to take the kids to another part of the country the next day(due to the fact that the children were the recipients of a life insurance policy).
We went to court. It was shown he was unable to control money(gambling) he had no home life(sleeping in a different bed every night) and believe it or not, was even accused of child molestation once.
The judge ruled these factors could not overide his parental rights and ordered the children taken from us right there. They were literally dragged out of the courtroom crying hysterically and given to a man they did not even know, and we were powerless.
Sorry to tell you such a horrible story, but I needed to show you how illogical the law can seem. Common sense often falls to the letter of the law and you need to make sure you get an honest appraisal of your mothers chances before she gives any lawyer a dime.
Today the kids sleep on a matress on the floor somewhere in the midwest, and we only get to see them if we *pay* the scumbag.
__________________
For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path that may have heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse its full length. And there I travel, looking, looking, ...breathlessly.
-Carlos Castaneda
|