Advice on family court

[calmbeforethestorm19]

Hi I was looking some advice. I'm 25 and my daughter's father is 24. She's 4 and her father has been having contact with her for a while now. He used to take her overnight at the weekends and once during the week . It used to go well but the last few months he has been out partying and hasn't showed up for her a lot since March. Contact broke down as he wasn't showing up didn't call text or nothing so she didn't go to his house. In April I received a solicitors letter stating he wanted contact again. I got onto a solicitor and she dealt with his solicitor so I woudont have to have any contact with my daughters father at all. Contact started again in may . It was going good until June he didn't show up again a few times So I said that's it he's not seeing her again I messaged him and said that's it you can't be picking and choosing when it suits you! A week after that my solicitor received an email from his solicitor stating that he was going for a contact order. I told my solicitor to ignore him and his solicitor. My daughter's father has no parental rights over my daughter and is not named on her birth certificate. So he can't go for a contact order with no PR. It's been 6 weeks since he last seen her and since my solicitor ignored his solicitors email. If he was going to court to try and get PR would I not have heard word by now that he's got PR and is going for a contact order? We've heard not a thing. On Monday evening he blocked me of what's app this is where we did the communicating. I was thinking maybe his solicitor told him to block me and have no contact while he was pushing for PR and a contact order in the background. I live in Northern Ireland and I'm not sure of the process but if he was going for PR or had obtained them would I not have been notified by now and if he was pushing for a contact order ? It's been 6 weeks I'm just wondering and looking advice as I'm not sure of the whole process ..thanks

But he never sticks to an arrangement does he? Better get something in writing. Get a lives with order too. That way he can't keep her should he decide to be a twat.

No never sticks to them ...

Assuming you are in England or Wales, he does not need to get PR before applying for a contact order. Unless you want to deny that he is the father, he has the right to apply. He can apply for PR at the same time if he wants.

He cannot get PR or contact without your knowledge. If he applies for either or both of these things, you will be notified and will have the opportunity to oppose him. Having said that, it is unlikely you will be able to prevent him getting PR. That doesn't mean he will get contact, however.

There is nothing to stop him communicating with you during the process. Indeed, if he does decide to go to court, he will need to attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting, where he will be encouraged to try mediation with you rather than going to court.

I'm in Northern Ireland. In England how long is it before your notified . I thought that there was nothing to prevent us having contact so no reason why he's blocked me off what's app.. if he was to get contact we need some sort of contact unless a judge does it all. I don't know I've no experience in family court stressed out thinking about it all

If he makes an application, you will be notified by the court well before any hearings take place.

The judge won't act as an intermediary between you after an order is made. They may order that any contact between you is via a third party. But if he plays silly games over talking to you, that is likely to go against him.

Can a third party be like grandparents

It could be, yes, if the courts think that an intermediary is necessary and the grandparents are appropriate.

If I request to the judge I don't want him to be present for drop offs I want the grandparents will the judge grant this?

If you have good reason. If you've been doing handovers until this point with no issue then might say you have to do it and not include 3rd party in the order, but nothing stopping you using your grandparents if they're happy with that