There is a 14-year-old boy in another state, currently residing at an inpatient facility. The teenager has special needs and happens to be one of eight children in the Gosselin family. His parents, Jon and Kate, are former TV stars; in fact, many reality show fans in Kansas may remember them from “Jon & Kate Plus Eight.” The Gosselin’s son is scheduled to be released from the inpatient program a few days before Christmas, and his father has filed a petition for child custody.
Jon Gosselin is seeking sole custody of his son. If awarded, this would mean that not only would the boy live with his dad full time, Gosselin would also have decision-making authority concerning the boy’s education, health and other important life issues. The parents divorced in 2009. This situation is an example of post-divorce co-parenting problems that can arise long after a divorce is finalized.
The son in question is one of sixtuplets that made their television debuts when they were infants. Gosselin has not shared details regarding why he believes he should have sole custody of this particular child. One of the child’s sisters has been living with her dad for almost a year.
As in all child-related matters of divorce, the court has the final say regarding child custody. While the court is reviewing a case where a parent is asking for custody, any existing court order remains valid and must be obeyed. Such situations can be quite complicated and may take several weeks or months to resolve. Any Kansas parent facing similar problems may want to rely on experienced legal representation when returning to court.
