How does he get away with this?

[stk_agn]

I will try to explain the situation in as few words as possible, please bare with me.

My ex and I divorced in Feb. 1993, he remarried less than 2 weeks later. I was given custody of my son.  When son was 7, I couldn't take care of him financially so I let him live with his dad (my ex)

I was never allowed to have a standard visitation order, either agreeable by my ex or the judge.  We went to court and I was refused a visitation order repeatedly by the judges hearing the case.

my son is now 11 and his dad and step-mother have separated. The bio dad still has my son and I finally got my visitation order.  

I am now trying to get custody of my son because his dad is very unstable. He has suicide threats and attempts, he has been jailed by his current wife twice for violation of a domestic violence order, he has threatened my son with physical harm, he has punched my son in the head numerous times, my son has not been fed on a number of occasions, he (my son) was locked out of the house in 20 degree weather, he has been left home alone, he has had clothes taken away as a form of punishment.

This is just a short list of things that my son has been through since Thanksgiving.

We have been to court twice in the last few months and both times the judge refuses to let us in the court room. He only wants to deal with our attorneys.

On the day of our last court date, my ex's house burnt to the ground and the judge wouldn't make any sort of ruling until the investigation of the fire was complete because arson was suspected.  Even though this has nothing to do with my case I still can't seem to get the judge to make a decision as to custody, let alone a court date.

My son is terrified of his dad and right now it seems that there is nothing that I can do to protect him. He was forced to stay with a babysitter a couple weeks ago when his dad was jailed (again). I was not allowed to go get him because his dad had already made arrangements for my son to stay with this babysitter.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what steps I can take to get custody back? My attorney wants to wait and see what happens with my ex and his current wife when they go to court next week.

Their case has nothing to do with my case. Why should I have to wait because of their case?

[LizaLou1]

LizaLou

[LizaLou1]

LizaLou

[Indigo Mom]

-----My attorney wants to wait and see what happens with my ex and his current wife when they go to court next week.-----

Fire that bonehead attorney and retain another one...one who knows what being a lawyer is.