Help please

[Rick71]

Jurisdiction

Florida

Divorced for 7 years from my ex-wife we have one child who is 10. We do not have a custody agreement from the court that we have shared custody pretty much set on our own terms. I've had the terms of our said verbal agreement changed so many times because my ex wife wants to be in charge of everything. Now she's got a boyfriend who is interfering with decisions being made for our son and I'm at the end of my rope she is upsetting him. She corresponds with my son instead of me about making decisions for him and now she is trying to force him to the point where he is upset to his stomach to do something he doesn't want to do which is go out on a boat and he doesn't know how to swim and I told her I would not allow that and now her boyfriend is chiming in trying to get him to go out on the boat. What do I do?

 

[adjusterjack]

Get your ex into court and get everybody's duties and obligations on to a court order that can be enforced.

Oh, and get your son some swimming lessons. A 10 year old that doesn't know how to swim can get himself killed. It's a basic survival skill.

 

[leslie82]

Divorced for 7 years from my ex-wife we have one child who is 10. We do not have a custody agreement from the court that we have shared custody pretty much set on our own terms. I've had the terms of our said verbal agreement changed so many times because my ex wife wants to be in charge of everything. Now she's got a boyfriend who is interfering with decisions being made for our son and I'm at the end of my rope she is upsetting him. She corresponds with my son instead of me about making decisions for him and now she is trying to force him to the point where he is upset to his stomach to do something he doesn't want to do which is go out on a boat and he doesn't know how to swim and I told her I would not allow that and now her boyfriend is chiming in trying to get him to go out on the boat. What do I do?

Take her to court and get a custody order from the court with visitation in writing ordered by the court. That's the only way you can get her to stop. If she doesn't abide by court ordered visitation she can be held in contempt. But you have to go to court and should have done this seven years ago.

 

[army judge]

You're a very patient man.

 

[Rick71]

I just can't afford an attorney right now.

 

[adjusterjack]

I just can't afford an attorney right now.

Might not need one. Florida courts have lots of self help forms and instructions:

Family Law & Self Help Information

 

[zddoodah]

What do I do?

If I were you, I'd seek to modify the divorce decree to include proper orders regarding custody and visitation.