custody

[ili]

What is the name of your state? TN
Our grandson has legal custody of his 4 yr. old but has given
physical custody to his ex. The child is sad and confused. He
and his dad were so close but now that there is a new woman
and 2 step-children at home he has been abandoned. I want
to send the following. Would it be considered extortion? "You
have become an absent, unavailable father, son and grandson.
You owe us $3,000 and we're willing to forgive it if you will give
your parents temporary custody. Your child is sad and confused
and at some point is going to question you on this. Do the right
thing. You have 10 days or we'll seek legal remedy to collect so
that this child can have counseling or whatever is necessary to
help him become a strong, self-sufficient, adjusted adult."

 

[VeronicaGia]

You're out of your mind. You don't have the right to bribe him or anyone else like this. This is not your child, not your business.

If you want to sue him for money he owes you, do it, but leave the child out of it. Instead why not talk to him and find out what is going on, why he gave custody to someone else, remind him that men are on the short end of the stick when it comes to family law and mostly help straighten out his head.

 

[ili]

He's the one out of his mind. We love him but his son is sad!
We cannot talk to the grandson. The new wife rules! They have no trespassing signs up and have gotten an unlisted no. I put 2
notes on his vehicle at work and rec'd a letter that I'd be charged
with stalking if I continued. Wouldn't you interfere if you felt a
child had been done wrong? I would if it was a neighbor's child.
This is a wonderful, loving child who loves his dad and can't see
him. He is treated badly and is not in a safe place.

 

[stealth2]

You will get nowhere with this line of attack. If he owes you money, you can take him to small claims court. But you have no say as to the child. Zip, zero, nada. The only people who do are the parents, or perhaps CPS if the child is being neglected/abused.

 

[Becki C.]

sir,
if you feel the child is being neglected, abused, etc. you can call your local child protective services and notify them of your concerns. i can see that you are upset, but you have to keep things in perspective. going purely by what you are saying, if your grandson just dumped his child off to be with a new woman and her two kids, then the child wasn't in the best place there either.

 

[stealth2]

The other thing to remember is that this child also does have a mother - who apparently now has custody of the child. Your grandson doesn't get to just give the child to whatever family member he likes - Mom has first dibs.

 

[ili]

Does she have first consideration even though he went to court
twice to keep custody? She is an unfit mother.

 

[oberauerdorf]

She is an unfit mother.

That is not your call to make. That is a question of fact for a judge to determine.

 

[ili]

What about my initial question?

What I really want to know is if my note (which will be delivered
by a deputy) would be considered extortion if I do choose to send
it?

 

[stealth2]

Maybe, maybe not. But you cannot force your grandson to be a good parent. If you feel the child is being abused or neglected, call CPS and/or file for custody. Beyond that, you have absolutely no legal standing.