I am filing for custody of my daughter she has lived with me her whole life and she went to visit her father for the weekend and now he will not let me get her and by law if I do not have custody of her the police will not take her from him and I filed a pauper and an exparte and the judge says I have to file for custody before we can have a hearing do you have and advice for me.

Get an attorney. You should never have let your daughter visit without a custody order in place. Without a court order you and the father have equal rights to the child.

Your attorney will file the correct forms with the local court to obtain physical custody. Expect to have to give the father some visitation rights, however.