Custody when parents aren't married...?

Question

I'll keep this simple: 
My sister-in-law is 21 years old and has two small children with an abusive bum. She's been with him since she was 14 (he's 30) and her daughters are 2 and 3. He has anger management issues (cops have been called in the past) and he hasn't worked since the oldest daughter was 3 months old. She goes to school and works almost 40 hours a week. Thankfully, she's finally made the choice to leave him and move back in with her mom while she finishes school. 

Here's my question: how does she get full custody of her daughters? He watches them while she works, but I worry that he'll ask her for child support when she finally gets through school and gets a job. She'd be willing to have someone else watch them during the day, but she still wants to allow them to have some contact with him. What should I advise her to do? (She asked me.)

alexander w · Accepted Answer

.He doesn't get child support for minding his own children while their mother goes out to work. Now if she leaves him and takes the children with her.Then he is liable for child support.However it is better that they both reach an amicable solution

? · Answer

She goes to court and asks to be granted full custody and gives her reasoning as to why she thinks she deserves that as opposed to another arrangement

Custody when parents aren't married...?

2 Answers