Need Advice

[EFree]

I am trying to decide if I should represent my self at a visitation hearing.  I do not get to see my 10 year old daughter unless her mother (my ex-girlfriend) is with or unless my mother has her for the weekend.  M (my ex) will not let me drive her anywhere and will not let her spend the night at my house.

So, what I want to do is request visitation through the court.  I contacted an attorney but he wants $2500.00 that I don't have.

I need advice on how badly representing myself could turn out.

Thanks,
E

[Kitty C.]

Sounds like you have no CO right now......and the child is 10 yrs. old???  So I can assume that it's been this way for 10 years?  Sorry, but I see no way of getting anything unless you hire an atty.  Too much time and too much water under the bridge, and that will make it damn difficult even with an atty. to get anything.  You've set a precedence by allowing it to go on this long and you'll need an atty. to break it, if at all possible.

JMO..........

[Peanutsdad]

Before I could offer any decent advise, I'd really need to know more background.

Why are you supervised? Are there any court orders? Any convictions for violence, drugs, felonies?
Any substantiated CPS investigations? Are you currently under indictment for any crimes?

[EFree]

I have been convicted of a felony, it has now been reduced to a misdemenor.  (it was for theft)  I was convicted of this while I was with my ex-girlfriend and my daughter.  We decided to split up before we were married.  This was when my daughter was about 4.  
I had visitation every other weekend without any kind of cort order, she just let me have her.  Everything changed when I moved out of state for a few years.  When I came back I hired an atty who then got disbarred before he did any work for me.
I get to see my daughter if someone else drives her somewhere.  My ex had said that she would let me have regular visitation if I could prove that I had no warrents for my arrest and if I could prove that I had a valid drivers license.  I did both of those things and she still will not relent.
I think that she is doing this to me because I was always "in control" of our relationship and now she has all the control.

Thanks for your help!
E

[Belle]

Can you check and see if it is off your record?  Even if not that is no reason to deny visits according to the law. children deserve both parents.
The Book Custody for Fathers is a good one, it may help even if though you are seeking visitation. try to come up with a  parenting plan you would be interest in before you go to court and try to maintain contact in emails calls and regular mail and cards to child once every month, they love this stuff!
Belle

[MixedBag]

going Pro Se that is.

You said you were gone for a while and now back.

My advice is to establish a pattern and keep a record of seeing your child even if it's at Mom's house for a while (like 6 months).  

Does your EX allow her to spend the night at your mom's house?  Maybe that's the next step....

If there is no order in place to really define your time right now, then you need to establish a pattern that she allows -- after 6 months of trying and documenting, THEN find yourself an attorney to get something in writing.

Meanwhile, keep your nose clean and keep going in a positive direction like it seems, and SAVE up for that attorney.