fighting an out of state custody battle Alabama Alabama

[rachaelisguppy]

Im now 27 years old. i was in the army when my ex wife gave my children over to social services when i was about to be deployed, so my father said he would keep them until i was out. well when i got out i moved to wisconsin to start all over again. one year later i had a house and a reliable vehicle. when i asked to get my kids back he told me no, and at that time he had temporary custody. well 3 years later, i get my fiance pregnant and had my 3rd child. that same year my father came to visit and gave me papers that said he now has legal adoption of them. i called his lawyer because i was never even given a court date! his lawyer said that his father said that i abondoned my kids, and that he hasnt heard from me. alabama put a thing in the newspaper saying i have 90 days to appear but i was living in wisconsin and my father knew that. also when i called their court house they said if i want to appeal this i need a lawyer, that i cant represent myself??? i have all the papers, my phone records, the adoption papers, pictures of him at my house with the date, so they know my father knew where i was residing. my children he has are 5 and 6 years old, and they have been there all their life.

so i have a few questions:
1) can i do this over the phone to save the money and traveling with a 5 month old baby?

2) do i absolutely need a lawyer or can i represent myself?

3) What do i do? he illegally adopted them!!!! What steps can i take?

4) i dont have all the money in the world right now with a newborn haha. do i get a wisconsin lawyer or an alabama lawyer?

[cactus jack]

Thank you for serving, sir! Let's see if there's an option for you....

1) can i do this over the phone to save the money and traveling with a 5 month old baby?

Likely not.

2) do i absolutely need a lawyer or can i represent myself?

You can represent yourself, but it's a bad idea. Get a lawyer. In fact, since this transpired while you were serving, the Army should be able to help. Two more possible options are the VA and the VFW. While the V A and VFW likely can't represent you, they can refer you to people that definetely can.

But as this happened while active duty, the Army has a responsibility to help you. I won't say obligated, because that's a bit extreme for terminology. But they can help.

3) What do i do? he illegally adopted them!!!! What steps can i take?

You know, because this is so complex, I'll have to let the Army lawyers tell you. It could be,m in some states, familial abduction- abduction by family. But that concept is so.....what is the word? misused and misunderstood it's not funny.

4) i dont have all the money in the world right now with a newborn haha. do i get a wisconsin lawyer or an alabama lawyer?

I presume that you lived in Alabama when this started, am I correct? If so, then likely there. But as I said, the Army, as scary as it is, knows best.

Man, I wish I could help you more. But as I said, that's way too complex for me to answer. I'm confident one of the mods will step in momentarily though.