[DanielaTaapken]

My husband has 3 sons from a former marriage, has sole custody of them and has been raising them on his own for the past 4 years in Illinois. After him and I got married almost 2 years ago, we both got amazing job offers overseas as English teachers in Cairo, Egypt. We both thought since we did not have the financial means to bring all three boys with us in the middle of a school year to a new country and wasn't fair for them either to be yanked out and taken to a place where we didn't even have a place set up yet, that it would be better if we left them in the care of my husbands Grandmother who is 67 years old. She has her own house, drives, works and takes them everywhere they need. She is a huge part of our lives. We went to Cairo in February, found the job not suitable but decided to wait 2 months until schools were rehiring to see if we could find something better. We did find a much better job and signed contracts. We were still not financially able to bring them back until December. His grandmother has no problem keeping the boys until then. Before we left to Cairo, him and his grandmother signed a paper giving her guardianship over them until he returns, and the paper was notarized. He is there now on vacation to visit the boys and getting their passports in order so we can pick them up on Christmas break and not have to wait for passports to arrive. Here is where there problem is: My husband and his mother have a very bad relationship. She is completely against him moving to Cairo and taking the boys with him. She is now threatening to take them away from us for "neglecting" them. She is claiming she has a lawyer and will start the process to take full custody away from him. I need to know.. does she have a leg to stand on? Is this considered neglect in a court of law if he stayed away 4 months, came back 1 month and will leave for another 4, if only to secure a very good job where we will be living much better off? If this goes to court while we are in Cairo can his grandmother fight his mother? We do NOT want his mother getting custody of the children. I'm so worried and not getting any sleep over this. He says it won't get to court that fast and also he won't be deemed as an unfit parent because he left them under the care of his grandmother who is of able mind and body to take care of them. I'll take any answers and thank you.

[cdad]

What state is this in?

[ScottGem]

When asking a legal question the location is important since laws vary by area.

However, I doubt if the mother can prove neglect. The children were left in the care of a relative and all the bases were covered to provide for their care. The thing is, if she does file, the fact is pending litigation could prevent getting the children out of the country.

[DanielaTaapken]

What state is this in?

It's in Illinois under the Vermilion County Courts