Consider the following scenario: A responsible, loving mother of three children prepares to attend a custody hearing where a judge will decide how she and her children’s father will share custody of their children. The mother does not know the ins and outs of the law regarding custody, and does not have a lawyer to assist her because she cannot afford to hire one. (She is not alone in this regard, as the Domestic Relations Court of the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas reports approximately 85 to 90 percent of litigants before the court appear pro se).
The children have been residing with mom since she and their father separated, so mom believes she is in a pretty good position going into the hearing as the children attend school and there have been no issues in her home that indicate there are any problems. However, mom is unaware her current boyfriend pled guilty to a drug possession charge several years ago and when mom is asked who resides in her home and gives the court the boyfriend’s name and date of birth, her nightmare begins. With no warning, primary custody of the children is transferred to the father and mom only gets to see her children every other weekend, and even then only so long as she ensures the boyfriend is not on the scene.
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