Help my niece regain custody of her son

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anotherworried

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When my niece was 19 she found herself pregnant and alone. She turned to her aunt(my sister) for help. Her aunt invited her to live with her and go to school while she was pregnant. Before school ended and shortly after the baby was born her aunt demanded that she get a job. My niece was pushed to quit school and take the first job she could get. As a truck driver. A few months later my niece had to go to truck driving. Her aunt coerced her into signing over guardianship of the baby "just in case something should happen while she was away" When she got home she found she was kicked out. She lived in her truck for about four months then moved in with her new boyfriend. Her aunt allowed visits now and then. My niece kept asking for her son back. When he was nearly four she pushed for the return of her son. As a result her aunt accused her and her boyfriend of child abuse. Unsubstantiated but her aunt convinced her that she couldn't get him back now. Her aunt moved to North Carolina with the child shortly after that and then to South Carolina. She tried to hire a lawyer but found them all to be out of her price range and very discouraging. She finally got one for $1500 when her son was already 7 by the time she raised the money and got married. At the time my neice was in south Georgia then Alabama. Since then she has been battling it out in court. Her aunt keeps dragging out the court dates and coming up with reasons to delay. When my niece thought she had finally won her aunt told the court that she couldn't turn him over to her because the stress causes him to have seizures. The judge ordered her to bring evidence from his doctors that this is the case. The next court date was delayed. The aunt's lawyer said she wasn't aware of the date having been set and didn't agree to it or something. Then most recently they put in for a change of venue because they now live in North Carolina it's too hard on them to have to go to Georgia for court. Now she'll have to come up with the money again for a new lawyer and they'll have to start all over again with her aunt dragging it out over years again and pointing out that she's had custody of him during all that time. It all seems sooo wrong isn't there anything that can be done??? The lawyer said what my niece had signed wasn't even guardianship but the same permission papers that you would sign to put your child in daycare. Yet he didn't even point that out to the judge he just did it like a regular custody battle. In my opinion it was kidnapping. But isn't there anyone out there who would help my niece??
 
This is not an attorney referral website, nor do good attorneys troll or spam forums for clients. The best thing to do is to help your niece hire an attorney in NC.
 
When my niece was 19 she found herself pregnant and alone. She turned to her aunt(my sister) for help. Her aunt invited her to live with her and go to school while she was pregnant. Before school ended and shortly after the baby was born her aunt demanded that she get a job. My niece was pushed to quit school and take the first job she could get. As a truck driver. A few months later my niece had to go to truck driving. Her aunt coerced her into signing over guardianship of the baby "just in case something should happen while she was away" When she got home she found she was kicked out. She lived in her truck for about four months then moved in with her new boyfriend. Her aunt allowed visits now and then. My niece kept asking for her son back. When he was nearly four she pushed for the return of her son. As a result her aunt accused her and her boyfriend of child abuse. Unsubstantiated but her aunt convinced her that she couldn't get him back now. Her aunt moved to North Carolina with the child shortly after that and then to South Carolina. She tried to hire a lawyer but found them all to be out of her price range and very discouraging. She finally got one for $1500 when her son was already 7 by the time she raised the money and got married. At the time my neice was in south Georgia then Alabama. Since then she has been battling it out in court. Her aunt keeps dragging out the court dates and coming up with reasons to delay. When my niece thought she had finally won her aunt told the court that she couldn't turn him over to her because the stress causes him to have seizures. The judge ordered her to bring evidence from his doctors that this is the case. The next court date was delayed. The aunt's lawyer said she wasn't aware of the date having been set and didn't agree to it or something. Then most recently they put in for a change of venue because they now live in North Carolina it's too hard on them to have to go to Georgia for court. Now she'll have to come up with the money again for a new lawyer and they'll have to start all over again with her aunt dragging it out over years again and pointing out that she's had custody of him during all that time. It all seems sooo wrong isn't there anything that can be done??? The lawyer said what my niece had signed wasn't even guardianship but the same permission papers that you would sign to put your child in daycare. Yet he didn't even point that out to the judge he just did it like a regular custody battle. In my opinion it was kidnapping. But isn't there anyone out there who would help my niece??

Yes, you can help your niece.
You can gift her or loan her the money so that she can HIRE an attorney.
Or, advise her to read this:

Q: How do I obtain a court appointed attorney?

A: You must go through your local court office. DFCS has no authority in this matter. Contact the court or the Georgia BAR association for issues concerning your court appointed attorney.

https://dfcs.dhs.georgia.gov/faq-0

Bottom line, the court will appoint her legal counsel if she simply asks for a taxpayer funded attorney!
 
I am intrigued how an 18 year old received a CDL that would allow her to go OTR and not just drive in state where she could see the child.
 
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