- Jurisdiction
- Mississippi
I would really like to keep this from going to city simply due to her being 16 already and court usually is a long process and I want to make it the least stressful for my sister possible.
How can I prevent my cousin—who has been informally caring for her—from interfering, even though she has no legal custody?
My aunt has full custody of my sister but had to flee Georgia due to domestic violence, which left her homeless. As a temporary solution, my cousin in Mobile, Alabama, took my sister in, but nothing was ever done legally. I was supposed to live there too, but things didn't work out that way.
It's been two years now, and I finally have stable housing (a rent-to-own home), a job, and a plan to give my sister the support she needs. My aunt agrees that she should be with me and is willing to sign over guardianship, but my cousin has become resistant. She might try to fight it even though she has no legal custody.
I have serious concerns about my sister's situation:
• She used to do well in school, but her grades have dropped and she's been skipping class.
• She's been caught smoking and sending inappropriate pictures.
• She barely talks to me anymore, and my cousin controls all communication.
• She's living in a rough neighborhood and going to a school with daily fights and little discipline.
I've worked hard to make sure I can give her a stable, structured home. I've been taking parenting and child development courses, staying involved in her life, and financially supporting her when I can.
My questions are:
1. What's the best legal route to get guardianship? (Custody transfer, kinship foster care, etc.)
2. Since my cousin has no legal custody, can she actually fight this?
3. What documents or proof should I have ready if this goes to court?
4. Given my sister's declining grades and risky behavior, is there a way to speed up the process?
I want to do this the right way and avoid unnecessary drama. Any advice would be really appreciated.
How can I prevent my cousin—who has been informally caring for her—from interfering, even though she has no legal custody?
My aunt has full custody of my sister but had to flee Georgia due to domestic violence, which left her homeless. As a temporary solution, my cousin in Mobile, Alabama, took my sister in, but nothing was ever done legally. I was supposed to live there too, but things didn't work out that way.
It's been two years now, and I finally have stable housing (a rent-to-own home), a job, and a plan to give my sister the support she needs. My aunt agrees that she should be with me and is willing to sign over guardianship, but my cousin has become resistant. She might try to fight it even though she has no legal custody.
I have serious concerns about my sister's situation:
• She used to do well in school, but her grades have dropped and she's been skipping class.
• She's been caught smoking and sending inappropriate pictures.
• She barely talks to me anymore, and my cousin controls all communication.
• She's living in a rough neighborhood and going to a school with daily fights and little discipline.
I've worked hard to make sure I can give her a stable, structured home. I've been taking parenting and child development courses, staying involved in her life, and financially supporting her when I can.
My questions are:
1. What's the best legal route to get guardianship? (Custody transfer, kinship foster care, etc.)
2. Since my cousin has no legal custody, can she actually fight this?
3. What documents or proof should I have ready if this goes to court?
4. Given my sister's declining grades and risky behavior, is there a way to speed up the process?
I want to do this the right way and avoid unnecessary drama. Any advice would be really appreciated.
