My husband and I split up over 4 1/2 yrs ago. We had a verbal visitation agreement for our 2 children, then ages 3 and6 1/2. After two years of not so consitstant visitaion their father stopped calling and seeing them on August 18th 2005. It took over a year and a wage garnishment to get child support from him, he moved to NY, never sent a birthday card, Christmas card or note from 8/18/05. No phone calls, no nothing. He never even showed up for the custody hearing in May of '06.
Today he informs me that he is filling for visitation. I am outraged. After 18 months of intense counseling, my son, the oldest, is finally starting to be a happy normal kid again. His father's actions really hurt him and we had a real struggle to help him. Now this man wants to see his kids.
I can not afford a lawyer. I am trying to get his mental health records to take to court with me.
My question is: In New Jersey what kind of visitation will a judge mostlikely order for a father who has been completely out of his children's lives, willingly, for over 2 years?

Well, to tell you the truth, all judges, no matter where you are, look at the kids point of view before anybody else's, that is IF the child is old enough to make healthy decisions, I think that the child seeing his maternal father may help him, if he tries to do so, and he builds a healthy relationship with his father, then that would really help, but just note, that Visitation rights are still limited to, but not guaranteed, that IF the father does screw up during these visitations, they can be revoked. Now you can also fight for supervised visitation rights, where you can be there the whole time, it justs all depends, I wish you the best of luck!