Going to family court?

can anyone help.. two divorce people the ex husband is taking the ex wife to court because he doesn't like how the daughter is dressing or how she acts.. the mother says that she doesn't act bad at all at home (lives with mother) has friends, teachers and mothers friends that say she is very polite...she just likes to look different ( she likes to dress punk) she does all the makeup for school plays and likes horror movies.. dad thinks she is depressed.. he wants her to start her visting weekends again but can't watch too much tv can't wear her hair the way she does and can't wear her clothes.. the girl is 15.. any ideas about going to court in how to win against the father.. oh and the father wants her to go to counseling which she said she would to prove him wrong..

Going to family court?

There are a few items that you did not mention; such as, has the Mom contacted her lawyer to seek counsel on these obvious frivolous concerns of the father? Had the Office of the Official Guardian been involved with the divorce proceedings? Did the 15 year old have her own attorney? By law, every child is to have full and competent and independent legal representation which is provided through Justice for Children.

No Family Court Judge/Magistrate or Adjudicator will just willfully grant the father his requests. The onus is on the father to prove his case of depression regarding his daughter. Also, he is going to have to prove that it is appropriate for weekend visits to commence once again. The Courts will review the reasons/excuses why the visits stopped in the first place.

The Mom's lawyer should have Mom prepared to provide documents from the girl's medical practitioner regarding his assessment of her mental health, letters, from the school - including the Principal, Guidance Counsellor and Teachers to affirm that the girl does not act or display depressive symptoms at school. Ideally, if this family attends Church, a member of the Clergy could also write a letter stating his/her opinions and observations of the girl.

My best advice for any parent going through a situation such as this is to have as much documentation available for the lawyer and the Courts. Under NO circumstances should Mom discuss her Plan of Action with her ex husband and both parents should be doing their best to keep their daughter out of the line of fire; otherwise, the poor girl could become depressed. Parents should not be using their children as pawns.

Tell Mom to get to her lawyer's office as soon as possible. The longer she waits, the less time that they have to work through all of the issues that they are facing and to prepare the best possible legal counsel for the daughter.

It is also important to remember that either Parent has the legal right to request ammendments to the Divorce Decree at any time as long as they are not frivilous.

One good point is that the daughter is 15 and the Courts will listen to what she "wants" because the Courts feel that at that age, the child is old enough to know who they want to spend their time with.

Good Luck to All.

Going to family court?

the situation only goes to show that the father is conservative and the mother is liberal..liberal in the sense that she allows her child to go her way, chose things for herself. i don't think that it should be enough grounds for the man of the family to force the child to follow what he wants. the child is her own person and is entitled to be herself.

however, i agree that the child should seek professional counsel to prove what her mother says. better if she can find evidence like certifications from different people who knows her very much regarding her attitude.. let her take the drug test.. to also ensure the father that the "difference" the child imposes on herself is only topical and has nothing to do with her personality.

i hope this helps. Goodluck!

Going to family court?

on the surface there seems to be no real grounds for court, except in your child's manner of dress.that really is insignificant because teens do go through stages of development, and are finding out who they are-.also using their dress style as a form of self-expression, and sometimes,as a way of seeking attention, too.how she dresses is not alarming unless she is violating a school dress code, her grades are suffering, she has known bad friends, she displays sgns of drug or alcohol abuse,or perhaps she is promiscuous. you can explain to her the possible implications of her dress style, and wht it may communicate to others.don't judge her simply on that alone

these are things to consider, and will be considered by the courts, as well.is she still respectful to you and her teachers at school? custody does not enter this equation unless these things factor in.visits should be the only real issue if nothing else is troubling in terms of your teen, or that you are not conducting yourself or raising her in her best interest...

if none of these factors are relevant to your daughter, then relax in the comfort that it is omly a stage and this too shall pass

i do however agree w/ the dad that too much tv is not good, but we also luve in a time when tv is the most popular form of entertainment to kids and adults alike.just monitor her viewing, computer life too.try to watch some shows w/ her to see what appeals to her, maybe explain some things seen to her.put them into perspective for her

visitation is recommended, and his right, as long as he is not influencing her negatyively, or engages in behaviors consudered unhealthy,esp. in terms of your daughter.but she does need her father's presence in her life.so yes to visits, just place boundaries or specifics upon them, w/in reason, of course.youeep being good mother to your child, try to keep lines of communication open and she'll be fine.....remember, tho, she is only 15.still a minor, and what she does always reflects back to the parent and their guidance and influence

good luck don't worry she'll be fine, and so will you