Hi all,
I have been divorced for 2 years, separated for 3. I work in the restaurant industry, and because my schedule is not always predictable and I've been financially destroyed by this divorce (pay roughly $950/month CS) and working a lot, I have only seen my daughter sporadically, and when we divorced, I got half legal but not physical--with the understanding that as soon as my financial situation was back together and my schedule more predictable, we would change the physical custody to joint 50/50.
To date, PD has agreed to visits that accommodate my schedule. Roughly 6 months ago, I began seeing someone that I' growing serious about. Since being in the new relationship, the ex has grown more difficult to communicate with. This culminates this weekend, my daughter and I were planning on spending the weekend with my girlfriend and her son at their home. We have spent time in this home before and there was never a problem. This time, she is insisting on doing a "site visit" of my girlfriends home and meeting my girlfriend. On Easter. With family visiting. Because it's convenient for the PD? Anyway, we said no. PD said if I took our daughter to my girlfriends (where she has her own bed, she shares a room with my GF's 3 y/o son, my daughter is 7), she would not allow me to take my custody time.
I have consulted with an attorney, the police department, and the courts. All say I have every right to take custody as planned without appeasing the PD, because of course she has no right to any of this. My ex is texting me incessantly telling me to "promise" "Swear" that I will not take my daughter to her home, that I will not take my daughter out of the state. If I tell her the truth, she will withhold the visit. And I have no real recourse immediately. I see her once a week-ish and this is a 4 day visit I've really looked forward to for some time. However, if I lie, I get to have what is legally mine to have, but I run the risk of a rage and the subsequent things that come with that.
What are your thoughts? I really need some advice.
I have been divorced for 2 years, separated for 3. I work in the restaurant industry, and because my schedule is not always predictable and I've been financially destroyed by this divorce (pay roughly $950/month CS) and working a lot, I have only seen my daughter sporadically, and when we divorced, I got half legal but not physical--with the understanding that as soon as my financial situation was back together and my schedule more predictable, we would change the physical custody to joint 50/50.
To date, PD has agreed to visits that accommodate my schedule. Roughly 6 months ago, I began seeing someone that I' growing serious about. Since being in the new relationship, the ex has grown more difficult to communicate with. This culminates this weekend, my daughter and I were planning on spending the weekend with my girlfriend and her son at their home. We have spent time in this home before and there was never a problem. This time, she is insisting on doing a "site visit" of my girlfriends home and meeting my girlfriend. On Easter. With family visiting. Because it's convenient for the PD? Anyway, we said no. PD said if I took our daughter to my girlfriends (where she has her own bed, she shares a room with my GF's 3 y/o son, my daughter is 7), she would not allow me to take my custody time.
I have consulted with an attorney, the police department, and the courts. All say I have every right to take custody as planned without appeasing the PD, because of course she has no right to any of this. My ex is texting me incessantly telling me to "promise" "Swear" that I will not take my daughter to her home, that I will not take my daughter out of the state. If I tell her the truth, she will withhold the visit. And I have no real recourse immediately. I see her once a week-ish and this is a 4 day visit I've really looked forward to for some time. However, if I lie, I get to have what is legally mine to have, but I run the risk of a rage and the subsequent things that come with that.
What are your thoughts? I really need some advice.