Hello, I have a son and his ex-girlfriend had a baby girl. My son has never paid child support and the girl neglected the baby. Because of financial problems my husband and I took the baby to our home. We were awarded Court appointed temp. Guardianship. The other Grandparents (adopted the girlfriend at age 8) want the baby and have filed for custody. These people don't have a clue on how to raise a toddler, and they only want her for money (taxes, back child support etc.) We also have filed for custody. The parents of the child want us to have custody. Is there anything they can sign which would give us custody, before we go to court with other Grandparents? Please help we do not want to lose her. I am the Paternal Grandma. My son said he will pay child support, he now has a job making $8.00 an hour. The mother of the child is living in a homeless shelter. What can we do, so the other Grandparents can't get our little girl?

Thanks
Donna

Get a lawyer.

Custody disputes are nasty in the BEST of situations--and yours definitely isn't a good situation.

If you do this without a lawyer, and the other grandparents DO have a lawyer, you might lose custody of the child.

Well, since they don't currently have custody/guardianship, they wouldn't be owed back support, for one. Its not a pool of money that is owed to whomever has the child when money gets paid into it.

If the parents want you to have custody, its usually going to go that way. Does your son live with you? That would pretty much negate the maternal grandparents claim since he could assume his custody.

But Syn is right - get a lawyer. You *should* win this one, but if you are going up against their lawyer without one of your own, you aren't playing on a level field.