Readers in Lake County may or may not be aware of the child custody dispute that has been ongoing between Olympic skier, Bode Miller, and the mother of his nine-month-old son. The cross-country conflict has once again heated up and could now have major implications on the parental rights of both the mother and the father prior to a child being born.
According to reports, Miller and his son’s mother dated for only for a brief period. After they had broken up, and after she had become pregnant, the woman reportedly left her job as a firefighter and moved across the country from San Diego to New York in order to attend college at Columbia University, starting the child custody battle.
Recently, however, the mother of Miller’s son reportedly won a major legal victory in their custody dispute. According to reports, the judges in a New York appeals court ruled that previous courts’ rulings had violated her rights. In the initial hearing, a judge in New York reportedly ruled that her moving before reaching a custody agreement with Miller was essentially like her running away with the child. Based on that ruling, a San Diego judge awarded legal custody of the boy to Miller. With the recent appeals court ruling, however, the New York court has been given jurisdiction over the case and the woman will now have the opportunity to pursue getting back legal custody.
Anyone who is involved in a child custody dispute or who, like the mother in this case, would like to seek a child custody modification may find it of benefit to discuss their situation with an experienced lawyer. An attorney can answer any questions they may have, as well as offer advice as to the best course of action given their circumstances.
Source: The New York Times, “Custody Battle Raises Questions About the Rights of Women,” Erik Eckholm, Nov. 23, 2013
