The dissolution of any marriage can be a very stressful transition on many different levels. From emotional aspects to finances, it sometimes can be a relief when a divorce finally comes to its conclusion. However, when children are involved, it can sometimes, unfortunately, spiral into a drawn-out affair. Such is the case of a child custody situation involving a Georgia parent that recently made headlines.
Two teenage boys are at the center of a child custody battle between the boys' mother, a resident of Georgia, and their father. The boys currently are living with the father in his house in the U.S. Virgin Islands, but their mother says they have been imprisoned there, telling sources the two have no phone access, no internet access and that there are cameras and intercoms in each room of the house. When the couple initially divorced in 2006, primary custody was granted to the mother along with $1,500 per child each month in support. However, in 2012, the father appealed for increased visitation rights, apparently stemming from a notion that the mother was going to move the kids to South Carolina (a notion that the mother denies).
The situation became more complicated after the father then accused the mother of having sexually inappropriate contact with the children. This prompted a judge to order both to submit to a mental evaluation to better determine the optimal placement for the children. The father completed the evaluation but the mother refused, causing the judge to award temporary custody to the father and order of no contact from the mother. This, however, has no slowed the mother's attempts to appeal the process. The situation is ongoing.
While this story may be particularly dramatic and complex, any child custody situation can prove to be a difficult process. Seeking the assistance of an experienced attorney can help formulate a plan of action that can, ideally, end in the legal and physical custody of the children, providing them with the best life possible.