Visitation

look up posts from Venus on this forum. She has had issues with custody after the death of her husband’s ex-wife, and the complications and effects of a custody battle with the step parent (who apparently has NO rights to the child). She is also dealing with the effects of an apparnet negative influence of the now deceased parent and the step parent. I hope your son can get past his anger and frustration and find comfort in his daddy’s memory without the venom fed to him.

I was wondering if anyone has any experience with violating a court order? I am the only living biological parent of a teen. His father and step mother had previously kept me from seeing him/limited contact for over 2 years. Son just turned 14 this year. His father passed away in July 07 and step mom/ex inlaws tried keeping him from me. I went in to court in NC to have my court order giving me and my ex joint custody and step mom had a lawyer who argued the order was no longer valid as my ex was deceased. The judge actually dismissed my case stating that ‘this would have to be heard sometime’ and for ‘me to get a lawyer’. I can’t get a lawyer in this small county as my ex and his wife have used them all in that town over the years for various things.

I just wanted my son home-he has been turned against me and told absolutely horrible things about me. Her attorney told me that she was willing to settle and that if I didn’t settle that I couldn’t see my son.

I signed a paper/agreement allowing the stepmom visits of every weekend. Then the lawyer told me I could go pick my son up-he hadn’t seen my other 2 younger children for over 4 months…it was a nightmare…she was yelling, my son cussed me for all I was worth…bringing up things from my marriage with his dad that ended over 13 years ago.

I think I forgot to add a very important thing…the stepmother is also my ex husband’s 1st wife. I was the stepmother to their child when he and I were married…We have a 20 year history and my child is only 14.

Is this considered signing papers under duress? Can I get the visitation changed? She lives in NC and my son now lives with me in SC…I still haven’t received any court orders…all I have is just the copy of the paper I signed…nothing signed by a judge or anybody. Aren’t you supposed to be given a copy of the court order?

I want to stop my child from going for these visits-he is in counseling and we are trying to repair the damage to our relationship-add to that he’s a teenager who has been told by the stepmom that he should be able to do whatever he wants to+ the grief over losing his Dad…not a good combination…

He came back from a visit and didn’t talk to me for 1 day and then was distant for the next several days…then got in a fight at school and got suspended…(actually expelled but we appealed it and won, and arrested. Stepmom calls and leaves messages “Hi this is mom” and tells him we are to strict, that he can get a ‘pass’ from his community service, etc to go see her.

As his only parent…what are my rights now? Any suggestions on what to do??

I’m sorry this is so long…thanks for taking the time to read this and respond…I just don’t know even if there is a court order