Hello, I need help fast. I was (and still currently am legally married) for the past 13 years. We have a 12 yr old daughter and in 2002 we split. We made the decision together to leave him custody of our then 4 yr old daughter because he had a job and a home to give her, when I left, I moved about 400 miles away. I was in a bad marriage with no one to help me and when I finally had a way out, I took it. I didn't have a job and was living in a one bedroom apt with a friend and her son and I didn't feel that was the best place to have my daughter. My ex then moved around after that, not contacting me and never leaving me a place to call him. He would call me via payphones when he needed money and then I changed #'s but still held the same address for 6 years, he stopped calling me after 2004 and I never heard from him since. I had been paying child support since 2006 so I knew they were OK, I just didn't know how to find them. Last year, 2009, my daughter found me via myspace and we have since reconnected and have established a relationship. Her father is angry and at and insists that I abandoned her when that wasn't the case at all. Now he's trying to not let me see her. We still don't live near each other, we're about 500 miles apart. There have never been any legal papers filed as far as custody rights so don't I have any rights to her? I just don't know where else to go.

Is there an Order for child support?

You need to file for custody of your daughter - the Court will evaluate all parties and determine what is in her best interest.

Are you and the father in the same State?