After the incident that happened on that Friday the 13th, my now ex wife filed for an “emergency custody & visitation” hearing.
It rattled me to my core. Indiana is known for taking the mother’s side of anything in regards to children unless the mother is a known drug addict or prostitute.
In the document I was served with, twice, she claimed that my child was not safe with me and that my mental status was questionable. Nothing in the document had anything to do with my parenting abilities or lack there of, it had everything to do with what happened between my ex wife and I.
I got some legal advice from a family law attorney. I wanted to hire him, but I didn’t have the ability to cover his $4000 retainer. I was hoping she hadn’t hired one.
I showed up to the hearing late, as I was sitting at the wrong court room for 20 minutes. When I showed up, the proceedings had already began but I was welcomed in by the judge.
She swore me in, and I apologized for being late. It was me, my ex-wife and the judge, all within 3 feet of each other. She then simply asked me what happened. I told her the same story that I posted here. I also mentioned to her how when I returned home from the hospital, all of the things we agreed on keeping at my home of our child’s was gone. The only things remaining were toiletries and coloring books.
The judge’s eyes opened wider, and she told my ex-wife that what she did was wrong. I could tell my ex-wife was scrambling to explain her actions, but no explanation was needed.
My ex-wife lied under oath and stated that I “pushed her down the stairs.” That was impossible as a hutch was blocking the stairs at the time. Her sister was at the bottom of those stairs, which provides a witness to that event.
The judge said that she saw no reason to modify the custody & visitation agreement, plain and simple.
I told her that I want to have my daughters together and will have my eldest with me when I have my other child. She said that was good, and wants me to do just that.
At the very end the judge then proclaimed that “he gets her on Thanksgiving.” I’m not sure how to take that exactly. Before I walked into that courtroom was she trying to keep my child from me on the biggest holiday of the year for me? I guess I’ll never know.
In the end, the justice system surprised me. I’m grateful and appreciative.
On my way home from the hearing, I started receiving friendly texts from my ex-wife concerning bringing items back to my house. It’s brought a flood of questions into my mind. Is this really the woman I call the love of my life? Is this really the person I vowed my life to? Is this really the mother of my youngest child? Perhaps one day, I will discover those answers, but for now I’m just left with questions.