Taylor accused of making threats
By John Barr
ESPN.com
Archive
FBI agents in Texas have seized recordings of threatening jailhouse phone calls made by Crista Ann Taylor, the ex-girlfriend of Dallas Mavericks All-Star forward Dirk Nowitzki, to the player's attorney, two sources with knowledge of the investigation said.
The sources told ESPN that agents from the FBI's Beaumont field office last week obtained recordings of phone calls Taylor made from the Jefferson County Correctional Facility.
Nowitzki
Taylor's prison phone calls allegedly contained threats as well as demands for money from Nowitzki, whom she has referred to in numerous media interviews as her former fiancé, and many of Taylor's phone calls were made to the offices of Nowitzki's Dallas-based attorney, the sources said.
Several media reports erroneously reported that the FBI was involved in Taylor's arrest in early May at Nowitzki's Dallas-area home. The FBI's involvement in the case did not occur until Taylor allegedly began making the threatening phone calls from prison, according to the sources.
The news of the FBI's involvement in the case comes on the same day that court documents have surfaced indicating Nowitzki is seeking sole custody of Taylor's unborn child, if it is proved that he is the father.
Neither Taylor nor her attorney could be reached for comment. Nowitzki and his attorney also could not be reached for comment. However, Nowitzki's father recently told the German newspaper Bunte that he felt his son was receiving pressure from Taylor.
"What comes over daily from America from this woman is almost like blackmail," Jörg Nowitzki said.
It is not clear if Nowitzki's father was referring to Taylor's prison phone calls when he made his comment to the German newspaper.
On June 12, Nowitzki's attorney filed a petition in Dallas County, Texas, requesting that genetic testing be conducted upon the birth of Taylor's child in order to determine paternity.
The petition for custody, filed by attorney Katherine Kinser, refers to Nowitzki and Taylor simply by their initials, "D.N." for Nowitzki and "C.T." for Taylor. Kinser could not be reached for comment.
"In the event that it is determined that [Nowitzki] is the biological father of child, the best interests of the child will be served by the appointment of [Nowitzki] as sole managing conservator," the petition says.
The Dallas Morning News reported Friday that this is not Taylor's first child-custody issue. The paper quoted one of Taylor's former housemates, Gerrick Fallon, who said Taylor gave birth to three other children who are now teenagers. Fallon told the newspaper Taylor did not raise any of the other three children, including the first one born in 1995, according to the newspaper.
Taylor was arrested on May 6 at Nowitzki's Dallas home on a warrant out of Jefferson County, Texas, for a theft of services charge. Taylor told The Dallas Morning News she learned of her pregnancy only after she was incarcerated in Dallas and administered a pregnancy test.
On Monday, Taylor was served with Nowitzki's petition for custody at the Jefferson County Correctional Facility, according to a report in the Beaumont Enterprise.
"We have to determine the best options, legally, to protect her rights and those rights of her unborn child,'' Taylor's attorney, Scott Renick, told the Enterprise. "Our only focus in this case is to ensure the laws of the state of Texas are complied with to protect any and all rights Taylor has in delivery [of the baby] and her rights as a mother," Renick told the newspaper.
Taylor is accused of failing to pay for $11,000 worth of dental work in December 2004. She was indicted on the charge in 2006. Authorities in two states have identified numerous aliases for Crista Ann Taylor, 37, with the most recent one being Crystal Taylor, the name she was using when she was arrested in Nowitzki's home. Taylor told The Dallas Morning News she hid her criminal record from Nowitzki.
Taylor's trial date has been set for July 27. She also faces a 2000 probation violation charge in Missouri. She is being held on a $50,000 bond.
Nowitzki, who on Friday turned 31, has mostly rebuffed questions about Taylor beyond acknowledging to reporters that he's "going through a tough time in my personal life." Amid the turmoil, Nowitzki averaged 34.4 points and 11.6 rebounds during the Mavericks' series with Denver and was named to the All-NBA first team.
In his last public comments on the subject on May 14 before returning to Germany, Nowitzki said: "It's been a tough two weeks, or however long it's been. That's really all I can say about it."
John Barr is a reporter for ESPN's Enterprise Unit. He can be reached through e-mail at jbarr-espn@hotmail.com Information from ESPN.com senior NBA writer Marc Stein and The Associated Press was included in this story.
Child custody for fathers Child custody laws for dads and husbands. Custody Warriors is a members only site for fathers that want to fight and win equal rights to raise their children. Learn child custody laws, share your child custody experiences with other fathers across the United States & around the World. Learn to prepare for the child custody battle ahead and receive feedback from dads who have shared your experiences. There are hundreds of private members only sites devoted to women and mothers seeking child support and custody. Child custody laws and courts around the world discriminate against fathers in child custody cases. It is time for fathers to unite. There is strength in numbers.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Child Custody Battle - Split decision in custody battle
Child Custody Battle - Split decision in custody battle
By Gordon Dritschilo Herald Staff
Neither Lisa Miller nor Janet Jenkins got everything they asked for Wednesday in Rutland Family Court.
Miller sought to eliminate or reduce the number of court-ordered visits her former civil-union partner has with her daughter, Isabella. Judge William Cohen denied that motion.
Jenkins sought primary child custody of the 6-year-old girl. Cohen also denied that motion, but put Miller on notice that continued violation of court orders would put her custody in jeopardy. He also ordered Jenkins get custody of the child in Vermont for five weeks during the summer.
"At some point, Miss Miller's behavior is forcing a hand," Cohen said.
Isabella was born in 2002, when Miller and Jenkins were still together. Since they split up in 2003, they have been locked in a custody battle.
Jenkins lives in Fair Haven. Miller moved to Virginia, where state law specifically rejects the legitimacy of same-sex unions.
In court Wednesday, her attorney, Stephen Crampton, said she did not comply with Vermont court orders because she did not believe Virginia authorities would enforce them.
The jurisdictional battle went before the supreme courts of each state, with Vermont's asserting jurisdiction and Virginia's eventually agreeing. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case.
The daylong hearing Wednesday started with Miller testifying that Isabella became increasingly distraught after visits with Jenkins. A counselor who has worked with Isabella also testified, characterizing Isabella's stress as typical of a child caught in a custody battle.
Jenkins testified on Miller denying her access to Isabella, her desire to see more of the child — consistently referring to her as "my daughter" — and her willingness to grant Miller more access as custodial parent than Miller has granted her.
Jenkins said she was repeatedly told through their attorneys that Miller would not make the child available for court-ordered visits in Virginia and that she went eight months without seeing Isabella before a visit over Martin Luther King Day weekend.
She testified that she was ready to take custody of Isabella, that she lived a short walk from Fair Haven Grade School, that she has experience with 6-year-olds from her work running a daycare and that she had a counselor lined up to help Isabella with any transition issues.
"My daughter could set down roots because I plan to live there, grow old there and turn my house over to her," Jenkins said.
Crampton argued that the girl's behavior was a cause for concern and that Virginia's willingness to enforce Vermont's court orders would assure Miller's future compliance.
He also argued that a change of custody would amount to punishing the child for her mother's misdeeds, saying the disruption of moving from Vermont to Virginia in the middle of the school year was not in Isabella's best interest.
If the court felt it needed to transfer custody, Crampton said, it should at least wait until the summer.
A third attorney representing Isabella argued that as the child had only ever known a home with Miller, transferring custody to Jenkins would not be in her best interest.
Cohen said Vermont law seeks to maximize social contact between a child and both parents, and that the Vermont Supreme Court has held that Jenkins is one of Isabella's parents.
He said Miller was put on notice early on that her refusal to comply could lead to a loss of custody, and that she had repeatedly violated the court's orders. However, he said Jenkins had not met the "high burden of proof" needed to show that a change of custody was in Isabella's best interest.
Crampton said Miller was grateful to retain custody.
"She's still pursuing appeals in Virginia, but we are hopeful we will not be back in Vermont for a while," he said.
Child custody for fathers Child custody laws for dads and husbands. Custody Warriors is a members only site for fathers that want to fight and win equal rights to raise their children. Learn child custody laws, share your child custody experiences with other fathers across the United States & around the World. Learn to prepare for the child custody battle ahead and receive feedback from dads who have shared your experiences. There are hundreds of private members only sites devoted to women and mothers seeking child support and custody. Child custody laws and courts around the world discriminate against fathers in child custody cases. It is time for fathers to unite. There is strength in numbers.
By Gordon Dritschilo Herald Staff
Neither Lisa Miller nor Janet Jenkins got everything they asked for Wednesday in Rutland Family Court.
Miller sought to eliminate or reduce the number of court-ordered visits her former civil-union partner has with her daughter, Isabella. Judge William Cohen denied that motion.
Jenkins sought primary child custody of the 6-year-old girl. Cohen also denied that motion, but put Miller on notice that continued violation of court orders would put her custody in jeopardy. He also ordered Jenkins get custody of the child in Vermont for five weeks during the summer.
"At some point, Miss Miller's behavior is forcing a hand," Cohen said.
Isabella was born in 2002, when Miller and Jenkins were still together. Since they split up in 2003, they have been locked in a custody battle.
Jenkins lives in Fair Haven. Miller moved to Virginia, where state law specifically rejects the legitimacy of same-sex unions.
In court Wednesday, her attorney, Stephen Crampton, said she did not comply with Vermont court orders because she did not believe Virginia authorities would enforce them.
The jurisdictional battle went before the supreme courts of each state, with Vermont's asserting jurisdiction and Virginia's eventually agreeing. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case.
The daylong hearing Wednesday started with Miller testifying that Isabella became increasingly distraught after visits with Jenkins. A counselor who has worked with Isabella also testified, characterizing Isabella's stress as typical of a child caught in a custody battle.
Jenkins testified on Miller denying her access to Isabella, her desire to see more of the child — consistently referring to her as "my daughter" — and her willingness to grant Miller more access as custodial parent than Miller has granted her.
Jenkins said she was repeatedly told through their attorneys that Miller would not make the child available for court-ordered visits in Virginia and that she went eight months without seeing Isabella before a visit over Martin Luther King Day weekend.
She testified that she was ready to take custody of Isabella, that she lived a short walk from Fair Haven Grade School, that she has experience with 6-year-olds from her work running a daycare and that she had a counselor lined up to help Isabella with any transition issues.
"My daughter could set down roots because I plan to live there, grow old there and turn my house over to her," Jenkins said.
Crampton argued that the girl's behavior was a cause for concern and that Virginia's willingness to enforce Vermont's court orders would assure Miller's future compliance.
He also argued that a change of custody would amount to punishing the child for her mother's misdeeds, saying the disruption of moving from Vermont to Virginia in the middle of the school year was not in Isabella's best interest.
If the court felt it needed to transfer custody, Crampton said, it should at least wait until the summer.
A third attorney representing Isabella argued that as the child had only ever known a home with Miller, transferring custody to Jenkins would not be in her best interest.
Cohen said Vermont law seeks to maximize social contact between a child and both parents, and that the Vermont Supreme Court has held that Jenkins is one of Isabella's parents.
He said Miller was put on notice early on that her refusal to comply could lead to a loss of custody, and that she had repeatedly violated the court's orders. However, he said Jenkins had not met the "high burden of proof" needed to show that a change of custody was in Isabella's best interest.
Crampton said Miller was grateful to retain custody.
"She's still pursuing appeals in Virginia, but we are hopeful we will not be back in Vermont for a while," he said.
Child custody for fathers Child custody laws for dads and husbands. Custody Warriors is a members only site for fathers that want to fight and win equal rights to raise their children. Learn child custody laws, share your child custody experiences with other fathers across the United States & around the World. Learn to prepare for the child custody battle ahead and receive feedback from dads who have shared your experiences. There are hundreds of private members only sites devoted to women and mothers seeking child support and custody. Child custody laws and courts around the world discriminate against fathers in child custody cases. It is time for fathers to unite. There is strength in numbers.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Child Custody for Fathers - Homosexual Men Given Custody of Children Rather than Own Grandparents
Child Custody for Fathers - Homosexual Men Given Custody of Children Rather than Own Grandparents
By Tim Waggoner
EDINBURGH, Scotland, January 28, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – After a two-year-long child custody battle with an Edinburgh court, two young children have been placed into the hands of two homosexual men rather than with the children's own grandparents.
According to the Daily Mail, the court found the grandparents, who are 46 and 59, to be too old to adequately raise the children. The grandparents could not afford to continue the expensive legal process, and therefore resolved to give the children up for adoption provided the new adoptive parents would be a loving mother and father.
Soon after the ruling, however, the couple was informed that their five year old grandson and four year old granddaughter, who had been living in a foster home during the custody battle because their mom was a heroine addict, were being put into the care of a homosexual couple.
“It breaks my heart to think that our grandchildren are being forced to grow up in an environment without a mother figure. We are not prejudiced, but I defy anyone to explain to us how this can be in their best interests," said the grandfather.
"The ideal for any child is to have a loving father and a loving mother in their lives. But in our society the mother is generally the cornerstone of the family and the most important person for a young child."
But the grandfather was forced to cease his protests, being told by social workers that, "You can either accept it, and there's a chance you'll see the children twice a year, or you can take that stance and never see them again."
The social workers said that they would "certainly look" into allowing the grandparents to see their grandchildren "when you are able to come back with an open mind on the issues."
"If you couldn't support the children [in the homosexual adoption], if you were having contact and couldn't support the children, and were showing negative feelings, it wouldn't be in their best interests for contact to take place," added the social worker.
The social workers confessed that several heterosexual couples had been approved to take custody of the children, and it was well documented in a social work report that the four year old girl "has tended to be more wary of males in general."
The grandparents have not seen their grandchildren since the decision was made to place the children with the homosexual couple.
“Granny, I'm not going to see you for a very long time,” said the five-year-old boy at their last meeting. 'Maybe when I'm in Primary Seven I'll be able to see you.'
'We'll try our very hardest to see you soon,' said his visibly emotional grandmother, according to the Mail.
The boy told his grandfather that, "If you want to see me you will have to pick me up because I will be a very long way away. We are getting a new mummy and daddy."
A spokesperson for the Catholic Church in Scotland, Peter Kearney, commented on the issue, saying, "This is a devastating decision which will have a serious impact on the welfare of the children involved.
"There is an overwhelming body of evidence showing that same-sex relationships are inherently unstable and reduce the life expectancy of those involved.
"With this in mind, the social work department has deliberately ignored evidence which undermines their decision and opted for politically correct posturing rather than providing stability and protection."
Homosexual adoption was approved in Scotland in 2006 despite the fact that an official consultation process showed that 90 percent of people opposed it.
Child custody for fathers Child custody laws for dads and husbands. Custody Warriors is a members only site for fathers that want to fight and win equal rights to raise their children. Learn child custody laws, share your child custody experiences with other fathers across the United States & around the World. Learn to prepare for the child custody battle ahead and receive feedback from dads who have shared your experiences. There are hundreds of private members only sites devoted to women and mothers seeking child support and custody. Child custody laws and courts around the world discriminate against fathers in child custody cases. It is time for fathers to unite. There is strength in numbers.
By Tim Waggoner
EDINBURGH, Scotland, January 28, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – After a two-year-long child custody battle with an Edinburgh court, two young children have been placed into the hands of two homosexual men rather than with the children's own grandparents.
According to the Daily Mail, the court found the grandparents, who are 46 and 59, to be too old to adequately raise the children. The grandparents could not afford to continue the expensive legal process, and therefore resolved to give the children up for adoption provided the new adoptive parents would be a loving mother and father.
Soon after the ruling, however, the couple was informed that their five year old grandson and four year old granddaughter, who had been living in a foster home during the custody battle because their mom was a heroine addict, were being put into the care of a homosexual couple.
“It breaks my heart to think that our grandchildren are being forced to grow up in an environment without a mother figure. We are not prejudiced, but I defy anyone to explain to us how this can be in their best interests," said the grandfather.
"The ideal for any child is to have a loving father and a loving mother in their lives. But in our society the mother is generally the cornerstone of the family and the most important person for a young child."
But the grandfather was forced to cease his protests, being told by social workers that, "You can either accept it, and there's a chance you'll see the children twice a year, or you can take that stance and never see them again."
The social workers said that they would "certainly look" into allowing the grandparents to see their grandchildren "when you are able to come back with an open mind on the issues."
"If you couldn't support the children [in the homosexual adoption], if you were having contact and couldn't support the children, and were showing negative feelings, it wouldn't be in their best interests for contact to take place," added the social worker.
The social workers confessed that several heterosexual couples had been approved to take custody of the children, and it was well documented in a social work report that the four year old girl "has tended to be more wary of males in general."
The grandparents have not seen their grandchildren since the decision was made to place the children with the homosexual couple.
“Granny, I'm not going to see you for a very long time,” said the five-year-old boy at their last meeting. 'Maybe when I'm in Primary Seven I'll be able to see you.'
'We'll try our very hardest to see you soon,' said his visibly emotional grandmother, according to the Mail.
The boy told his grandfather that, "If you want to see me you will have to pick me up because I will be a very long way away. We are getting a new mummy and daddy."
A spokesperson for the Catholic Church in Scotland, Peter Kearney, commented on the issue, saying, "This is a devastating decision which will have a serious impact on the welfare of the children involved.
"There is an overwhelming body of evidence showing that same-sex relationships are inherently unstable and reduce the life expectancy of those involved.
"With this in mind, the social work department has deliberately ignored evidence which undermines their decision and opted for politically correct posturing rather than providing stability and protection."
Homosexual adoption was approved in Scotland in 2006 despite the fact that an official consultation process showed that 90 percent of people opposed it.
Child custody for fathers Child custody laws for dads and husbands. Custody Warriors is a members only site for fathers that want to fight and win equal rights to raise their children. Learn child custody laws, share your child custody experiences with other fathers across the United States & around the World. Learn to prepare for the child custody battle ahead and receive feedback from dads who have shared your experiences. There are hundreds of private members only sites devoted to women and mothers seeking child support and custody. Child custody laws and courts around the world discriminate against fathers in child custody cases. It is time for fathers to unite. There is strength in numbers.
Child Custody for Dads - Weekend dads
Child Custody for Dads - Weekend dads
By P. SELVARANI
When a marriage ends, one parent may have to take a less active part in the children’s lives. P. SELVARANI speaks to several fathers who have lost the child custody battle. PETE treasures every moment that he gets with his son Adam; he had to go without seeing him for a year.
“It was hell not knowing where he was for an entire year,” said Pete, who now enjoys spending two weekends every month with eight-year-old Adam under a temporary custody arrangement, following an acrimonious divorce after six years of marriage.
Pete, however, is more fortunate than fathers such as Shariffudin, who was recently allowed by the Kuala Lumpur Syariah Court to visit his four children on alternate weekends, after being denied access to them for the last three years.
These visitation rights are confined to the home of his ex-wife as Shariffudin is not allowed to take the children out of the house or keep them overnight.
Pete, despite it being a temporary arrangement, is determined to be the best dad he can be while Adam is in his custody every first and third weekends of the month.
“I don’t usually plan the itinerary unless it’s a special occasion, I let him decide what he would like to do. Usually, he has a long list of wants, including visiting his grandparents and cousins. It’s two weeks of pent-up excitement, you know.”
But Adam’s list of “to do” things for these weekends, said Pete, is never exhausting.
“He is easy to please and has simple demands like going to the playground, shooting basketball, playing some football or watching cartoons.”
After picking him up on Friday evenings, father and son usually have a fast-food meal and then head to Pete’s home where Adam will tune in to the Cartoon Network.
“By 9pm, he will ask for his PlayStation and insist that I join him. So I will give him my undivided attention. No reading, watching telly or answering phone calls until it’s time for him to go to bed.”
Breakfasts on the Saturdays are also a special father-son bonding time as Adam will put in his request the night before.
“So whether it’s nasi lemak or curry puffs, I make sure I prepare it for him.”
Then they are off to the mall for some shopping, or to catch a movie.
“Sometimes we go swimming or cycling at Taman Tasik Perdana. Once a month, or once every two months, we will visit my parents and his cousins.”
After dinner, father and son return home to just hang out together, chatting, watching the telly or playing games.
“I make myself free when Adam is with me for the weekend and I don’t commit myself to anything unless he agrees to it.
“For instance, if there is a birthday party or a wedding dinner to attend, I check with him whether he wants to go.
“Most times we can’t do everything that he has planned and it breaks my heart to see the disappointment on his face. So I assure him that we will do it during his next visit.”
Pete regrets that he rarely gets the opportunity to spend special occasions such as birthdays or festive holidays with his son.
“It’s his birthday tomorrow but I will make up for it with something special during his next visit.”
Pete also does not have access to his son at any other time, not even over the phone.
So between these visits, life goes on for Pete.
“I’ve got my career, good friends and family to support me. You learn to cope, you learn to live. But it’s really not about me. Adults have the means to get over this but can the child? I try to be the best father that I can because I am blessed to have Adam.”
Haris, however, is one of the more fortunate weekend dads as he is still on good terms with his ex-wife, from whom he parted ways two years ago.
His three children — two boys aged seven and four, and his two-year-old daughter — spend every weekend with him.
“We do not do anything extraordinary unless it’s a special occasion. Most weekends, I take them to my parents’ home where we spend time doing things like a regular family.
“In the evenings, I take them to the park. Sometimes, we go watch a movie.
“It helps that my parents and my siblings are there because I can’t manage all three of them on my own. It can be exhausting!”
Although Haris admits to indulging his children occasionally, he is firm with them when the situation calls for it.
One monthly routine that his children look forward to is a trip to the hair salon as it always precedes a visit to the neighbourhood 7-Eleven for sweets and chocolates.
Haris also knows that as a father, he is responsible for teaching his children how to perform the solat (prayers).
“As my eldest son is now seven, I have to start teaching him how to pray now and ensure that he reads the Quran. So I do this on Saturday nights.”
In the circumstances, Haris and his ex-wife try their best to provide as normal an environment as they can for their children.
“We celebrate their birthdays together and we make it a point to attend all their school functions, including concerts and Sports Day. We also jointly make decisions involving them.”
The children also know that anytime they need to speak to their dad, he is just a phone call away.
“I am fortunate that nothing else has changed much. It is not the most convenient arrangement but I think my kids will turn out okay.
“My former wife and I are both mature enough to work things out for the sake of the kids. And it helps to have the support of our families.”
For Jack, however, life has been a nightmare these past five months ever since his wife of 15 years walked out on him and took along their three teenaged children.
“I came home from work one day to find them gone. I don’t know where they are. I tried calling them but they would not pick up my calls. Even the children have moved to another school but I don’t know where. I have given up looking for them,” he said.
Despite feeling the loss, Jack does not believe in “crying over spilt milk”.
His relationship with his wife had not been smooth and he had anticipated her leaving but he did not expect it to turn out this way.
His wife has filed for divorce.
“I hope when my children are older, they will realise what happened. I don’t know where they are but they know where to find me,” he said.
Child custody for fathers Child custody laws for dads and husbands. Custody Warriors is a members only site for fathers that want to fight and win equal rights to raise their children. Learn child custody laws, share your child custody experiences with other fathers across the United States & around the World. Learn to prepare for the child custody battle ahead and receive feedback from dads who have shared your experiences. There are hundreds of private members only sites devoted to women and mothers seeking child support and custody. Child custody laws and courts around the world discriminate against fathers in child custody cases. It is time for fathers to unite. There is strength in numbers.
By P. SELVARANI
When a marriage ends, one parent may have to take a less active part in the children’s lives. P. SELVARANI speaks to several fathers who have lost the child custody battle. PETE treasures every moment that he gets with his son Adam; he had to go without seeing him for a year.
“It was hell not knowing where he was for an entire year,” said Pete, who now enjoys spending two weekends every month with eight-year-old Adam under a temporary custody arrangement, following an acrimonious divorce after six years of marriage.
Pete, however, is more fortunate than fathers such as Shariffudin, who was recently allowed by the Kuala Lumpur Syariah Court to visit his four children on alternate weekends, after being denied access to them for the last three years.
These visitation rights are confined to the home of his ex-wife as Shariffudin is not allowed to take the children out of the house or keep them overnight.
Pete, despite it being a temporary arrangement, is determined to be the best dad he can be while Adam is in his custody every first and third weekends of the month.
“I don’t usually plan the itinerary unless it’s a special occasion, I let him decide what he would like to do. Usually, he has a long list of wants, including visiting his grandparents and cousins. It’s two weeks of pent-up excitement, you know.”
But Adam’s list of “to do” things for these weekends, said Pete, is never exhausting.
“He is easy to please and has simple demands like going to the playground, shooting basketball, playing some football or watching cartoons.”
After picking him up on Friday evenings, father and son usually have a fast-food meal and then head to Pete’s home where Adam will tune in to the Cartoon Network.
“By 9pm, he will ask for his PlayStation and insist that I join him. So I will give him my undivided attention. No reading, watching telly or answering phone calls until it’s time for him to go to bed.”
Breakfasts on the Saturdays are also a special father-son bonding time as Adam will put in his request the night before.
“So whether it’s nasi lemak or curry puffs, I make sure I prepare it for him.”
Then they are off to the mall for some shopping, or to catch a movie.
“Sometimes we go swimming or cycling at Taman Tasik Perdana. Once a month, or once every two months, we will visit my parents and his cousins.”
After dinner, father and son return home to just hang out together, chatting, watching the telly or playing games.
“I make myself free when Adam is with me for the weekend and I don’t commit myself to anything unless he agrees to it.
“For instance, if there is a birthday party or a wedding dinner to attend, I check with him whether he wants to go.
“Most times we can’t do everything that he has planned and it breaks my heart to see the disappointment on his face. So I assure him that we will do it during his next visit.”
Pete regrets that he rarely gets the opportunity to spend special occasions such as birthdays or festive holidays with his son.
“It’s his birthday tomorrow but I will make up for it with something special during his next visit.”
Pete also does not have access to his son at any other time, not even over the phone.
So between these visits, life goes on for Pete.
“I’ve got my career, good friends and family to support me. You learn to cope, you learn to live. But it’s really not about me. Adults have the means to get over this but can the child? I try to be the best father that I can because I am blessed to have Adam.”
Haris, however, is one of the more fortunate weekend dads as he is still on good terms with his ex-wife, from whom he parted ways two years ago.
His three children — two boys aged seven and four, and his two-year-old daughter — spend every weekend with him.
“We do not do anything extraordinary unless it’s a special occasion. Most weekends, I take them to my parents’ home where we spend time doing things like a regular family.
“In the evenings, I take them to the park. Sometimes, we go watch a movie.
“It helps that my parents and my siblings are there because I can’t manage all three of them on my own. It can be exhausting!”
Although Haris admits to indulging his children occasionally, he is firm with them when the situation calls for it.
One monthly routine that his children look forward to is a trip to the hair salon as it always precedes a visit to the neighbourhood 7-Eleven for sweets and chocolates.
Haris also knows that as a father, he is responsible for teaching his children how to perform the solat (prayers).
“As my eldest son is now seven, I have to start teaching him how to pray now and ensure that he reads the Quran. So I do this on Saturday nights.”
In the circumstances, Haris and his ex-wife try their best to provide as normal an environment as they can for their children.
“We celebrate their birthdays together and we make it a point to attend all their school functions, including concerts and Sports Day. We also jointly make decisions involving them.”
The children also know that anytime they need to speak to their dad, he is just a phone call away.
“I am fortunate that nothing else has changed much. It is not the most convenient arrangement but I think my kids will turn out okay.
“My former wife and I are both mature enough to work things out for the sake of the kids. And it helps to have the support of our families.”
For Jack, however, life has been a nightmare these past five months ever since his wife of 15 years walked out on him and took along their three teenaged children.
“I came home from work one day to find them gone. I don’t know where they are. I tried calling them but they would not pick up my calls. Even the children have moved to another school but I don’t know where. I have given up looking for them,” he said.
Despite feeling the loss, Jack does not believe in “crying over spilt milk”.
His relationship with his wife had not been smooth and he had anticipated her leaving but he did not expect it to turn out this way.
His wife has filed for divorce.
“I hope when my children are older, they will realise what happened. I don’t know where they are but they know where to find me,” he said.
Child custody for fathers Child custody laws for dads and husbands. Custody Warriors is a members only site for fathers that want to fight and win equal rights to raise their children. Learn child custody laws, share your child custody experiences with other fathers across the United States & around the World. Learn to prepare for the child custody battle ahead and receive feedback from dads who have shared your experiences. There are hundreds of private members only sites devoted to women and mothers seeking child support and custody. Child custody laws and courts around the world discriminate against fathers in child custody cases. It is time for fathers to unite. There is strength in numbers.
Child Custody for Fathers - Divorced father seeks equal protection
Child Custody for Fathers - Divorced father seeks equal protection
Custody challenge cites discriminatory decisions
By Bob Unruh - WorldNetDaily
A case is developing in a Tennessee divorce dispute that one attorney believes could impact child custody decisions nationwide because it calls down the authority of the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause to help fathers who are good parents and want to remain involved in their children's lives.
The attorney, Stanley Charles Thorne, told WND the issue in the case at hand will be significant, since there are 3,000 divorce or custody cases in courts across the U.S. daily.
And according to the Children'sJustice.org website, those cases leave nearly 38 percent of the fathers with no access or visitation rights to their children. In addition, four in 10 mothers report they interfered with the father's visitation to punish him at least once, half the mothers see "no value" in the father's continued contact with his children and 70 percent of the fathers wanted more time with their kids.
Thorne told WND he is serving as a consultant in the case of Jeremy Hopkins, a successful lawyer, in his attempts to be treated the same as his daughter's mother, Elisabeth, also a successful lawyer, in their custody of Kate.
Since the mother left the family in Tennessee and took Kate to Pennsylvania about two years ago, Jeremy Hopkins has been allowed only sporadic days with his daughter.
"All I want for my daughter is for her to have mom and a dad," Jeremy Hopkins told WDEF-TV in Chattanooga recently.
Michael McCormick of the Institute for American Families said the system is set up to pit a mother against a father in a marital dispute, when it should be working to accommodate the needs of a child for both a mother and father.
"The courts are going to pick a winner and a loser and when they do that, the child ultimately loses," he told the station at a recent rally regarding the case.
"If we look at what's happening to our society we can trace the social pathologies just as increased rates of incarceration, early sexual activity for girls, truancy issues related to the family breaking down and the social fabric of our society is breaking down in terms of the family breaking down, we are being weaken as a nation and we need to change that," McCormick added.
He estimates 17 million fathers nationwide do not have fair access to their children, and about 3 million mothers have the same problem.
Thorne, who has 25 years experience as a lawyer, most recently has specialized in constitutional issues in family courts, representing parents and children on various issues.
He said the case now is entering the briefing stage, and the next court hearings are expected sometime in April.
The family's life was disrupted by the mother's decision to leave, Thorne said, but the relationship of the father and daughter was aggravated by a "family court system that cares for neither of them while it keeps them mired in a swamp of never-ending legal hassles just to be together."
The case began about Christmas 2006 when Kate was 1. Then the mother, Elisabeth, moved to Pennsylvania with Kate, and since then Jeremy has been away from his daughter 86 percent of the time – 633 of the previous 733 days.
At least four judges have been involved in the case, "but none of those … ever ordered the parenting plan required by the Tennessee Legislature and the Tennessee Supreme Court," Thorne's statement said.
"Many constitutional issues will be decided by Kate Hopkins' case," he continued. "Perhaps the most important is where the Constitution draws the line to protect the relationship between an innocent child and an innocent parent from government interference."
The dispute came to a head just before Christmas 2008, following the expiration of the most recent visitation order. Jeremy Hopkins, on a scheduled visit with his daughter, decided to have her stay in Tennessee until a court hearing on the required court-ordered visitation plan.
Instead, he was arrested for interfering with a custodial plan, "even though there was no court order in force," and his daughter was returned to Pennsylvania. The warrant later was quashed by a judge, who essentially determined it never should have been issud.
Thorne questioned the legal system ordering a child taken from one parent "when the child is in no danger … and the child has never been abused, neglected, or harmed" and given to another parent absent a court order.
The 14th Amendment states: "No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
"The only way to reconcile the parental rights of each fit parent is to divide the time of the child," Thorne suggested.
"This case affects not just the people of Tennessee," he said. "This is huge."
"In this case … this child now aged 3 over the past two years has been rendered fatherless, not because of anything dad did, but because of the way the system tilts," he told WND.
A WND message left with the attorney for the mother did not generate a response.
But Thorne said the cases of the 17 million people across the U.S. who are noncustodial parents also involve more than 18 million children. Not only are the parents denied access to their children, grandparents, uncles and aunts are cut off as well.
Thorne insisted judges should approach custody issues from a different perspective. They are not, he said, dividing property. Instead, they are making rules that impact the equal and sometimes competing parental relationships and rights of two individuals.
"They are not dividing one set of parental rights," he said. "Each parent has their own parental rights and prerogatives as an outgrowth of that relationship with the child."
Numerous organizations are working for the rights of fathers in disputes like the Tennessee case, including FathersCustody.org, LongDistanceParenting.org, Fathers False Charges Helpline, Fathers National Lawyers Referral, WinningCustody.com and FathersRights.org.
The Children'sJustice.org website noted very few children in divorced families are satisfied with the time they have with their fathers and only 11 percent of the mothers value the father's input regarding issues with their kids, well below the 45 percent who value input from teachers and doctors.
The site reported another national study found that more than three-quarters of non-custodial fathers are not able to visit their children as ordered by court decisions.
The issue of the treatment of fathers in custody disputes was the subject of a commentary in WND before the election.
Mike McCormick of the American Coalition for Fathers and Children and Glenn Sacks, who writes on men's and fathers' issues, said the Democrats' 2008 campaign platform targeted fathers for fault.
"The platform's 'Fatherhood' plank puts all blame for father absence squarely on men and promises to 'crack down' on fathers who are behind on their child support. It also promises to ratchet up draconian domestic violence laws that often victimize innocent men and separate them from their children," McCormick and Sacks found.
"It's doubtful that many dads wake up in the morning and say to themselves, 'My child loves me and needs me; my wife/girlfriend loves me and needs me – I'm outta here.' Research shows that the vast majority of divorces, as well as many break-ups of unmarried couples, are initiated by women, not by men, and that most of these do not involve serious male transgressions," they said.
The result? "The father is generally relegated to visitor status and often can only participate in his children's lives if the mother allows it. Courts tilt heavily towards mothers in awarding custody and enforce fathers' visitation rights indifferently. In most states, mothers are free to move their children hundreds or thousands of miles away from their fathers, often permanently destroying the fathers' bonds with their children."
Child custody for fathers Child custody laws for dads and husbands. Custody Warriors is a members only site for fathers that want to fight and win equal rights to raise their children. Learn child custody laws, share your child custody experiences with other fathers across the United States & around the World. Learn to prepare for the child custody battle ahead and receive feedback from dads who have shared your experiences. There are hundreds of private members only sites devoted to women and mothers seeking child support and custody. Child custody laws and courts around the world discriminate against fathers in child custody cases. It is time for fathers to unite. There is strength in numbers.
Custody challenge cites discriminatory decisions
By Bob Unruh - WorldNetDaily
A case is developing in a Tennessee divorce dispute that one attorney believes could impact child custody decisions nationwide because it calls down the authority of the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause to help fathers who are good parents and want to remain involved in their children's lives.
The attorney, Stanley Charles Thorne, told WND the issue in the case at hand will be significant, since there are 3,000 divorce or custody cases in courts across the U.S. daily.
And according to the Children'sJustice.org website, those cases leave nearly 38 percent of the fathers with no access or visitation rights to their children. In addition, four in 10 mothers report they interfered with the father's visitation to punish him at least once, half the mothers see "no value" in the father's continued contact with his children and 70 percent of the fathers wanted more time with their kids.
Thorne told WND he is serving as a consultant in the case of Jeremy Hopkins, a successful lawyer, in his attempts to be treated the same as his daughter's mother, Elisabeth, also a successful lawyer, in their custody of Kate.
Since the mother left the family in Tennessee and took Kate to Pennsylvania about two years ago, Jeremy Hopkins has been allowed only sporadic days with his daughter.
"All I want for my daughter is for her to have mom and a dad," Jeremy Hopkins told WDEF-TV in Chattanooga recently.
Michael McCormick of the Institute for American Families said the system is set up to pit a mother against a father in a marital dispute, when it should be working to accommodate the needs of a child for both a mother and father.
"The courts are going to pick a winner and a loser and when they do that, the child ultimately loses," he told the station at a recent rally regarding the case.
"If we look at what's happening to our society we can trace the social pathologies just as increased rates of incarceration, early sexual activity for girls, truancy issues related to the family breaking down and the social fabric of our society is breaking down in terms of the family breaking down, we are being weaken as a nation and we need to change that," McCormick added.
He estimates 17 million fathers nationwide do not have fair access to their children, and about 3 million mothers have the same problem.
Thorne, who has 25 years experience as a lawyer, most recently has specialized in constitutional issues in family courts, representing parents and children on various issues.
He said the case now is entering the briefing stage, and the next court hearings are expected sometime in April.
The family's life was disrupted by the mother's decision to leave, Thorne said, but the relationship of the father and daughter was aggravated by a "family court system that cares for neither of them while it keeps them mired in a swamp of never-ending legal hassles just to be together."
The case began about Christmas 2006 when Kate was 1. Then the mother, Elisabeth, moved to Pennsylvania with Kate, and since then Jeremy has been away from his daughter 86 percent of the time – 633 of the previous 733 days.
At least four judges have been involved in the case, "but none of those … ever ordered the parenting plan required by the Tennessee Legislature and the Tennessee Supreme Court," Thorne's statement said.
"Many constitutional issues will be decided by Kate Hopkins' case," he continued. "Perhaps the most important is where the Constitution draws the line to protect the relationship between an innocent child and an innocent parent from government interference."
The dispute came to a head just before Christmas 2008, following the expiration of the most recent visitation order. Jeremy Hopkins, on a scheduled visit with his daughter, decided to have her stay in Tennessee until a court hearing on the required court-ordered visitation plan.
Instead, he was arrested for interfering with a custodial plan, "even though there was no court order in force," and his daughter was returned to Pennsylvania. The warrant later was quashed by a judge, who essentially determined it never should have been issud.
Thorne questioned the legal system ordering a child taken from one parent "when the child is in no danger … and the child has never been abused, neglected, or harmed" and given to another parent absent a court order.
The 14th Amendment states: "No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
"The only way to reconcile the parental rights of each fit parent is to divide the time of the child," Thorne suggested.
"This case affects not just the people of Tennessee," he said. "This is huge."
"In this case … this child now aged 3 over the past two years has been rendered fatherless, not because of anything dad did, but because of the way the system tilts," he told WND.
A WND message left with the attorney for the mother did not generate a response.
But Thorne said the cases of the 17 million people across the U.S. who are noncustodial parents also involve more than 18 million children. Not only are the parents denied access to their children, grandparents, uncles and aunts are cut off as well.
Thorne insisted judges should approach custody issues from a different perspective. They are not, he said, dividing property. Instead, they are making rules that impact the equal and sometimes competing parental relationships and rights of two individuals.
"They are not dividing one set of parental rights," he said. "Each parent has their own parental rights and prerogatives as an outgrowth of that relationship with the child."
Numerous organizations are working for the rights of fathers in disputes like the Tennessee case, including FathersCustody.org, LongDistanceParenting.org, Fathers False Charges Helpline, Fathers National Lawyers Referral, WinningCustody.com and FathersRights.org.
The Children'sJustice.org website noted very few children in divorced families are satisfied with the time they have with their fathers and only 11 percent of the mothers value the father's input regarding issues with their kids, well below the 45 percent who value input from teachers and doctors.
The site reported another national study found that more than three-quarters of non-custodial fathers are not able to visit their children as ordered by court decisions.
The issue of the treatment of fathers in custody disputes was the subject of a commentary in WND before the election.
Mike McCormick of the American Coalition for Fathers and Children and Glenn Sacks, who writes on men's and fathers' issues, said the Democrats' 2008 campaign platform targeted fathers for fault.
"The platform's 'Fatherhood' plank puts all blame for father absence squarely on men and promises to 'crack down' on fathers who are behind on their child support. It also promises to ratchet up draconian domestic violence laws that often victimize innocent men and separate them from their children," McCormick and Sacks found.
"It's doubtful that many dads wake up in the morning and say to themselves, 'My child loves me and needs me; my wife/girlfriend loves me and needs me – I'm outta here.' Research shows that the vast majority of divorces, as well as many break-ups of unmarried couples, are initiated by women, not by men, and that most of these do not involve serious male transgressions," they said.
The result? "The father is generally relegated to visitor status and often can only participate in his children's lives if the mother allows it. Courts tilt heavily towards mothers in awarding custody and enforce fathers' visitation rights indifferently. In most states, mothers are free to move their children hundreds or thousands of miles away from their fathers, often permanently destroying the fathers' bonds with their children."
Child custody for fathers Child custody laws for dads and husbands. Custody Warriors is a members only site for fathers that want to fight and win equal rights to raise their children. Learn child custody laws, share your child custody experiences with other fathers across the United States & around the World. Learn to prepare for the child custody battle ahead and receive feedback from dads who have shared your experiences. There are hundreds of private members only sites devoted to women and mothers seeking child support and custody. Child custody laws and courts around the world discriminate against fathers in child custody cases. It is time for fathers to unite. There is strength in numbers.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Child Custody for Dads - Mom Endangered Child While Having Truck Stop Sex for Free Ride, Cops Say
Child Custody for Dads - Mom Endangered Child While Having Truck Stop Sex for Free Ride, Cops Say
N.H. — A Texas woman is facing child endangerment charges after allegedly bringing her 10-year-old son into the cab of a tractor-trailer at a New Hampshire truck stop and having sex with the driver in exchange for a ride to Texas.
Police say 34-year-old Crystal Walden of Hurst, Texas, was drunk when she brought her underdressed child to the Travel Center of America truck stop in Greenland on Saturday night in an attempt to return to Texas to her husband.
Police say Walden and her children moved to the Portsmouth area three days before an incident with her mother, who claimed in court that she has child custody of the children. They were reportedly staying at a family member's home.
Walden is charged with two misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a child for getting into an "unknown male's vehicle and engaging in sexual intercourse" in front of the child and for not having the child properly dressed for the cold weather. A police affidavit indicates the child did not have a coat or shoes on when they found him at the truck stop.
According to the affidavit, Walden said people at the child's new school talked about snowpants and "I didn't know what that was."
Court documents indicate the boy told police his mother knocked on the first truck they saw and asked for a ride to Texas. He indicated the driver said "he would if his mother would have sex with him."
Authorities have not indicated whether the truck driver will face any charges.
The judge conditioned Walden's release on her not having any unsupervised contact with her children. Her next court appearance is Feb. 11.
Child custody for fathers Child custody laws for dads and husbands. Custody Warriors is a members only site for fathers that want to fight and win equal rights to raise their children. Learn child custody laws, share your child custody experiences with other fathers across the United States & around the World. Learn to prepare for the child custody battle ahead and receive feedback from dads who have shared your experiences. There are hundreds of private members only sites devoted to women and mothers seeking child support and custody. Child custody laws and courts around the world discriminate against fathers in child custody cases. It is time for fathers to unite. There is strength in numbers.
N.H. — A Texas woman is facing child endangerment charges after allegedly bringing her 10-year-old son into the cab of a tractor-trailer at a New Hampshire truck stop and having sex with the driver in exchange for a ride to Texas.
Police say 34-year-old Crystal Walden of Hurst, Texas, was drunk when she brought her underdressed child to the Travel Center of America truck stop in Greenland on Saturday night in an attempt to return to Texas to her husband.
Police say Walden and her children moved to the Portsmouth area three days before an incident with her mother, who claimed in court that she has child custody of the children. They were reportedly staying at a family member's home.
Walden is charged with two misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a child for getting into an "unknown male's vehicle and engaging in sexual intercourse" in front of the child and for not having the child properly dressed for the cold weather. A police affidavit indicates the child did not have a coat or shoes on when they found him at the truck stop.
According to the affidavit, Walden said people at the child's new school talked about snowpants and "I didn't know what that was."
Court documents indicate the boy told police his mother knocked on the first truck they saw and asked for a ride to Texas. He indicated the driver said "he would if his mother would have sex with him."
Authorities have not indicated whether the truck driver will face any charges.
The judge conditioned Walden's release on her not having any unsupervised contact with her children. Her next court appearance is Feb. 11.
Child custody for fathers Child custody laws for dads and husbands. Custody Warriors is a members only site for fathers that want to fight and win equal rights to raise their children. Learn child custody laws, share your child custody experiences with other fathers across the United States & around the World. Learn to prepare for the child custody battle ahead and receive feedback from dads who have shared your experiences. There are hundreds of private members only sites devoted to women and mothers seeking child support and custody. Child custody laws and courts around the world discriminate against fathers in child custody cases. It is time for fathers to unite. There is strength in numbers.
Child Custody Battle - CUSTODY DISPUTE MAY HAVE LED TO FATAL POLICE STANDOFF
Child Custody Battle - CUSTODY DISPUTE MAY HAVE LED TO FATAL POLICE STANDOFF
Some new information has been brought forward in the case of a man who died earlier this month during a police standoff at a gas station in San Jose. Residents of the town of Bryan, Texas say a child custody dispute may have touched off the incident.
Texas television station KBTX reports family members believe 23-year-old Curtis Burlson came to San Jose in an attempt to resolve a child custody dispute. They think something apparently went wrong to prompt the violent incident.
Authorities say Burlson took his own life during a six hour siege that started when he reportedly struggled with an officer, took the policeman's gun and tried to shoot the officer. Burlson then remained in a USA Gas station for six hours before police found him dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Friends in his Texas hometown say the incident was out of character for Burlson, who they remember as a mild mannered high school varsity basketball player. Relatives speculate that Burlson may have become distraught over a child custody dispute that they say brought him to San Jose.
Burlson is believed to have traveled to the Bay Area to see his ex-wife and young son. Friends say Burlson recently finished a hitch in the Navy and planned to study dentistry. Funeral services were held last Saturday in Texas.
Child custody for fathers Child custody laws for dads and husbands. Custody Warriors is a members only site for fathers that want to fight and win equal rights to raise their children. Learn child custody laws, share your child custody experiences with other fathers across the United States & around the World. Learn to prepare for the child custody battle ahead and receive feedback from dads who have shared your experiences. There are hundreds of private members only sites devoted to women and mothers seeking child support and custody. Child custody laws and courts around the world discriminate against fathers in child custody cases. It is time for fathers to unite. There is strength in numbers.
Some new information has been brought forward in the case of a man who died earlier this month during a police standoff at a gas station in San Jose. Residents of the town of Bryan, Texas say a child custody dispute may have touched off the incident.
Texas television station KBTX reports family members believe 23-year-old Curtis Burlson came to San Jose in an attempt to resolve a child custody dispute. They think something apparently went wrong to prompt the violent incident.
Authorities say Burlson took his own life during a six hour siege that started when he reportedly struggled with an officer, took the policeman's gun and tried to shoot the officer. Burlson then remained in a USA Gas station for six hours before police found him dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Friends in his Texas hometown say the incident was out of character for Burlson, who they remember as a mild mannered high school varsity basketball player. Relatives speculate that Burlson may have become distraught over a child custody dispute that they say brought him to San Jose.
Burlson is believed to have traveled to the Bay Area to see his ex-wife and young son. Friends say Burlson recently finished a hitch in the Navy and planned to study dentistry. Funeral services were held last Saturday in Texas.
Child custody for fathers Child custody laws for dads and husbands. Custody Warriors is a members only site for fathers that want to fight and win equal rights to raise their children. Learn child custody laws, share your child custody experiences with other fathers across the United States & around the World. Learn to prepare for the child custody battle ahead and receive feedback from dads who have shared your experiences. There are hundreds of private members only sites devoted to women and mothers seeking child support and custody. Child custody laws and courts around the world discriminate against fathers in child custody cases. It is time for fathers to unite. There is strength in numbers.
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