Child Custody Legal Answers

I’m asking for a friend of mine who is from Saudi Arabia. His wife is Puerto Rican and they were living with their son in Phoenix. The wife left to go back to Saudi to visit family and has not returned to the U.S. My friend has not seen his son in 6 months. The wife refuses to tell him where exactly she is. What does he need to do to force her to come back so he can see his son? Can she be held criminally responsible for kidnapping and full custody awarded to him? He is a good father and she had no reason to take his child away.

My kids’ Dad and I are splitting up and we have 2 kids. We are trying to reach an agreement on custody but have some questions about legal versus physical custody. I have no problem sharing time with the kids but I don’t want to have to get his permission for everything relating to them. He is difficult to deal with and is very religious – he wants our kids enrolled in catholic schools and for them to be confirmed in the church. I want to have the final say because I don’t trust his judgment on certain issues. I’m told legal custody is the thing that controls decision-making in custody cases. What is the difference between legal and physical custody and can we have an arrangement that allows each of us to have the kids an equal amount but gives me final decision making power?

My kids’s dad and I have separated and our 3 kids have been going back and forth between us. We have no court order for custody. The father has now filed for ‘conservatorship’ of our children and wants them to live with him full time. He is also asking that I be ordered to pay child support. What does conservatorship mean in terms of custody and how do I respond to his court paperwork? Do I need a lawyer to respond? Can he actually get child support from me if he makes significantly more than I do?