Father’s rights group backs mom in child custody fight

A now-single mother of two children will soon appear in family court in the hopes of finally being able to see her children. She feels that her child custody case has not been handled fairly by a Pennsylvania judge. The Alliance for Fathers and Families is backing her in hopes that their support will sway the ruling of the court. Some find it unusual that a group dedicated to fathers’ rights is aiding a single mother, but they say that one of their main missions is to help families.

This child custody dispute seems to be particularly contentious. Over the course of the couple’s marriage, there were multiple allegations of spousal abuse. The mother alleged that the father was violent with her on several occasions and that he had even hit her in the head with an iron when she was pregnant.

Full custody was given to the father of the children after the children were allegedly left alone while in the mother’s care. The mother states that the children’s grandmother was supposed to be watching the children and that she did not willfully leave them alone. One of the children had awakened and wandered outside.

The mother alleges that the basis of the court’s decision to grant child custody to the father was based solely on a psychological evaluation ordered by the Pennsylvania court. While the family court must determine the facts in this specific case, parents who go through similarly contentious situations should make sure they fully understand all of their legal options. One option may be to gain the assistance of an experienced family law practitioner as they try to obtain the best results possible for both themselves and their children.

Source: Pittsburgh Courier, “Fathers group joins mother in fight for kids,” Christian Morrow, Nov. 9, 2012