Hi! This may sound simple, but I've never dealt with it before and I'm stumped. I have a 6-year-old whose father has never seen or communicated with her. We were never married. He does pay child support, but I'm more than happy to have him far away from us. I was recently married, however, and my new husband is in the US Navy. He is preparing for rotation, and it looks as if the most available billets are overseas. Because of this, the military says I have to have custody papers established for my child. Everything I've seen on the internet refers to people who are divorced and have established a custody situation. Because I was never married to her father, I'm not sure what I need to do. I live in Nevada; the father lives in California. Any advice?

You would file for custody in the state you live in currently, NV and all legal actions would happen there. You can make the schedule or what you want and submit it. Here in PA it costs $108 and takes about 45 days to get a hearing. HTH. Good Luck.

Is the father's name on the birth certificate? Did he sign an affidivit? Or is it just your name? I am in the same area you are in. If you have always had your daughter you shouldn't have to go through that with the NAVY because your ex hasn't fought with you. Plus you should be allowed to move and do all this with out the biological father. I have custody of my daughter. Always. The Navy is probably pulling your chain because they told me they would help me serve my daughter's father and they didn't. THey give me all kinds of run around. You have always had custody of her and I don't know why they are telling you all that. I would tell them that I claim her on my taxes and always have custody of her. Been her legal guardian and parent. THat should be enough and my name and her name are on the birth certificate. Just prove you are the resposible parent and tell them off.

Hi! This may sound simple, but I've never dealt with it before and I'm stumped. I have a 6-year-old whose father has never seen or communicated with her. We were never married. He does pay child support, but I'm more than happy to have him far away from us. I was recently married, however, and my new husband is in the US Navy. He is preparing for rotation, and it looks as if the most available billets are overseas. Because of this, the military says I have to have custody papers established for my child. Everything I've seen on the internet refers to people who are divorced and have established a custody situation. Because I was never married to her father, I'm not sure what I need to do. I live in Nevada; the father lives in California. Any advice? I beieve that if you contact you Military Legal Office they may be able to help you with this. They can't represent you in court but they should be able to either help you with the paperwork to obtain a Court Order for Custody or send you in the right direction of getting it done. Bottom line your current husband is not the legal father of the child and they are going to need proof that you are right to take the child abroad. If your ex's name is on the birth certificate your going to run into another issue. He sends child support so you know where he can be located. The court may ask him to agree to you having sole custody. I don't think that will be a problem since he hasn't had contact for six years. If not, then don't be scared...money isn't everything. He has otherwise abandoned the child and the court will acknowledge that.

Go file for legal custody in NV. You would ask for sole custody. It is up to you if you want to have the current support order put in place by court order since the father is paying it. You may want to just get the papers for sole legal custody and let him keep paying support as he does.