I'm going to be honest I as need help and want to get this sorted.
When my daughter was born nearly 6 years ago I had a problem with drugs, mainly smoking weed. I could not give up so we agreed to separate. I still do it now?
I paid maintainance £5 a week, then when I started work it went to £17 a week. In the last year I've stopped paying which is probably going to go against me?
I used to see my daughter on either a sat or a sunday but then with work and nights I kept being late and even missed th e odd one. My ex started seeing someone 3 years ago and he is now a large part of my daughters life, she even calls him dad, I've told my daughter that he's not her dad.
As time has gone on my daughter has not wanted to go out with me and now gets really up set, I have lost my temper in punching walls and swearing in ear shot of her. I know her mother would not say any thing bad about me as she does do a very good job of looking after her and teaching her right from wrong, she a very polite and caring 6 year old
I want access to her and think I might take it to court to get her etc
What do you think my chances are of going to court and getting the court to say that I can see her and how much will it cost or can I get a free solicitor?
Hi Robin123
If you are unemployed or on low income you will qualify for legal aid. Not paying maintenance has no bearing on getting contact, but taking drugs and being violent and abusive in her presence does.
I think before you consider going to court you need to give some serious thought to what is in the best interests of your daughter. If she gets upset and doesnt want to see you, then it could be that your violent and abusive behaviour has frightened her. If you did go to court she will be talked to about what she wants and you may have to take a drug test too.
I would think that if you went to court you would be ordered to attend anger management classes and probably parenting classes too, before you would be granted any contact with your daughter. If they tested you for drugs and it was positive then contact would probably not be granted until further tests were clear. Once all of this had been addressed you may get supervised contact at a contact centre, maybe once a month and that would continue for quite a while. They may continue to test you randomly to check if you were clear.
It will be a long drawn out process and you will need to be commited to changing to have any hope of success.
