It took me nearly a year and thousands of dollars to convince the court that I was the parent to which custody should be granted. During that year my ex disapeared (on drug binges or whetever the hell else struck her fancy) twice, once for 8 months straight!! She had no job, car, house or money yet the courts kept trying to give her custody. Her lawyer, after she defaulted on several payments, finally told me that if she had showed up to just 1 out of the 6 of the mediation sessions or had showed up in court just once she would have been granted custody because the female Judge (Judge Carrol Bispham, Linn County Oregon) is severely slanted in her decisions.
Here is link to some good info for those still mired in this crap.....Dads against Discrimination
EBUCK
I feel sick for my nieces and nephew more than anything, their world has been turned upside down. In my opinion this woman who is soon to be my ex-SIL and as far as our entire family knew was a wonderful person is truly evil and doesn't deserve to have custody of these kids. Unfortunately the court disagrees.
MKM