What is the name of your state? WI
As some of you know I am back in the court process regarding custody of 11 yo son.
Both parents and child have met with the GAL (a new one from the last go round- thank god!)
When this GAL was first appointed she requested from both parents several things, why we each thought we should have custody, what our current household make up is and how long it has been that way, and she also requested a list of references.
I included my husband in my references, I knew that his opinions probably would not be given a whole lot of weight but he IS the person who sees me interact with my children more than anyone else.
The GAL recently sent out a list of questions for everyone on the reference list, and to be honest I don't "get it"
Her questionaire seems to be generic in nature and almost all of the questions are worded as if the assumption is all references know both parties.....ex and I have been divorced almost 10 years...none of either of our references really knows each other, and the ones that do, know the other from a long time ago and really have no recent knowledge of the other....the questionaire is worded as if we are married now and just separating. We haven't lived in the same town in ages.....there are very few people who know both of us
Is this normal?
How much weight is generally given to these reference questionaires?
There are questions like "What are each parents strengths with regards to parenting the child" and then the same for weaknesses, if a reference is only able to honestly speak to one parents parenting ability- does that invalidate all of their responses?
For example, one of my references, is my daughter's daycare provider, I listed her because she sees me often- at least with my daughter, she can attest to the fact that my daughter is always clean, well dressed, fed etc etc and she is also a professional rather than a friend, BUT she has never ever seen my ex, has no knowledge of him at all
How does this play out?
As some of you know I am back in the court process regarding custody of 11 yo son.
Both parents and child have met with the GAL (a new one from the last go round- thank god!)
When this GAL was first appointed she requested from both parents several things, why we each thought we should have custody, what our current household make up is and how long it has been that way, and she also requested a list of references.
I included my husband in my references, I knew that his opinions probably would not be given a whole lot of weight but he IS the person who sees me interact with my children more than anyone else.
The GAL recently sent out a list of questions for everyone on the reference list, and to be honest I don't "get it"
Her questionaire seems to be generic in nature and almost all of the questions are worded as if the assumption is all references know both parties.....ex and I have been divorced almost 10 years...none of either of our references really knows each other, and the ones that do, know the other from a long time ago and really have no recent knowledge of the other....the questionaire is worded as if we are married now and just separating. We haven't lived in the same town in ages.....there are very few people who know both of us
Is this normal?
How much weight is generally given to these reference questionaires?
There are questions like "What are each parents strengths with regards to parenting the child" and then the same for weaknesses, if a reference is only able to honestly speak to one parents parenting ability- does that invalidate all of their responses?
For example, one of my references, is my daughter's daycare provider, I listed her because she sees me often- at least with my daughter, she can attest to the fact that my daughter is always clean, well dressed, fed etc etc and she is also a professional rather than a friend, BUT she has never ever seen my ex, has no knowledge of him at all
How does this play out?
