Hi y’all…
I’m dealing with a tricky situation with my co-parent. They’ve decided they no longer want anything to do with our kids, and the kids themselves have said they don’t want to see their dad anymore. My co-parent thinks we don’t need to involve the courts, but I’m not so sure.
Our court order says we’re supposed to mediate before going back to court, but since everyone is in agreement about the current situation, I’m wondering if mediation is necessary. Should I hire a lawyer to handle this? Do I need to wait for a specific period before filing anything?
We’ve discussed everything through text, but I’ve heard that having a lawyer draft a stipulation, get it notarized, and signed by both parties might be the right step.
I’m already covering therapy costs for the kids and feel that my co-parent should be responsible for the court costs to modify the order. If my new partner is looking to adopt the kids, would the judge approve this if my co-parent is willing to relinquish their rights?
Also, if we modify child support because I’ll have the kids full-time, would the court consider my co-parent’s prior tax returns since they’re currently between jobs?
Any advice on how to proceed would be greatly appreciated. I’ll answer any questions and provide more details if needed. Thanks 