Child Custody Determination

I am working on a letter to write to my state rep/state senator or whoever else will listen and can help about drafting legislation to prevent injustices regarding child custody cases. I know we need to be concerned about the Fed, the bailout, and etc., but this is an important issue, too. I would greatly appreciate any help that anyone could give on this matter, especially if you know of any model piece of legislation that I could use that would accomplish this purpose...and I would encourage you to think about contacting your own state reps, state senators, judges, etc. about this. Here is what I've got so far...

Thank you for reading this letter. The reason why I am writing this to you is that we are in desperate need of legal reforms regarding child custody issues. A friend of mine, a divorced mother of a little girl, after having full custody of her for the first five and a half years of her life, had her precious little girl taken away from her by the courts. She did not break any laws. The judge and parental investigator in the case are obviously prejudiced against my friend’s religious beliefs. I want to prevent this from happening to other parents. Below is a proposed bill that I have written. I know it is not very good, I am not a lawyer, and this is a long shot, but I would appreciate it if you would consider helping me clean it up and get it introduced into the legislature.

The Bill

To limit the jurisdiction of the courts concerning child custody determination to prevent law-abiding citizens from having their children unnecessarily taken away from them by amending the appropriate sections of the Ohio Revised Code.

Division A.

Legal custody of a child may be determined by the appropriate court as the Revised Code allows up to 60 days from the child’s birth. If no court legally authorized by the Revised Code makes such a determination within the first 60 days, the birth mother of the child shall be awarded full custody except for cases described in Division B.

Division B.

Once child custody has been awarded to the parent or guardian, no court shall rescind such determination except in the following cases:

1. The parent or guardian is convicted of a felony or of violating another portion of the Revised Code which states explicitly that there must be a change in child custody as a result of such violation.

2. The parent or guardian becomes mentality incapacitated and has not legally designated a caregiver to take responsibility for the child in this contigency.

3. The parent or guardian willingly and legally relinquishes permanent custody of the child.

Division C.

The enactment of this shall be retroactive. Any child custody determination cases five years before the enactment of this bill, which violate its terms shall be subject to review under this terms of this bill if the current guardian or parent of the child has had custody of the child for a period less than another parent or guardian of the child who lost permanent custody of the child by court order.