This morning we went to court again for a placement hearing on our 6-month-old foster baby that we have nicknamed Lil Bit.
Our day in court began at 9am; however, with a full docket, our case was, of course, heard LAST after the 5 other cases (one was from 2001)!
Tic tock, tic tock…
More attorney fees.
In fact, we actually had TWO attorneys representing us in court today!
When our case finally was called, it was after 11am.
TWO hours of attorney fees to listen to other cases!
First, the mother’s attorney called up the foster dad that has 5 of the mother’s other children. (The mother wants Lil Bit with her other children.)
The baby’s ad litem attorney jumped up adamantly objecting.
“He has no standing!”
“No relevance now!”
“He hasn’t even met the child!”
The judge said he would briefly allow this testimony. This testimony was mainly regarding how he currently cares for the mother’s other children.
Then the cross-fire, I mean, cross-examination from the baby’s ad litem attorney shot out. She asked some very tough questions.
“If the other children are failing in school, how can you care for another child?” He wasn’t able to answer the question.
“The last home study completed when you adopted the mother’s last child stated that you were to not have any more children in your home, correct?”
The CPS caseworker was the next witness. The CPS attorney and the baby’s ad litem attorney focused on how Lil Bit should be with his great-aunt. Our attorneys focused questions so that she would say that Lil Bit would be safest with us.
Then the baby’s ad litem attorney called Lil Bit’s mother onto the stand. She began by asking detailed questions about her relationship with the father, where she conceived the baby, when the father moved to Mexico, when she moved to Mexico, when and where she gave birth to Lil Bit.
(Later, our attorney told us that those questions were to confirm that the U.S. and Texas have jurisdiction over Lil Bit’s case and not Mexico where he was born.)
Then I was called to testify on the stand. I was so nervous, nearly to tears. So much on the line here. Our attorney asked me questions to reiterate to the court that Lil Bit would be safest in our home, since we have no contact with the violent members of his birth family.
Leave it to me that when he asked me questions in the negative like attorneys sometimes do, I messed up my answer & he would have to repeat it & I would have to correct myself.
(All these expensive meetings & he didn’t prepare me for THAT!)
No other attorneys questioned me (another good sign).
My husband testified so diplomatically when asked who the baby preferred. “When both of us are in the room, the baby prefers my wife!” (His calm diplomacy is one of the characteristics that drew me to marry him.)
To our advantage today, the great-aunt wasn’t in court to testify. It was optimistically believed that CPS didn’t inform her of the new court date since it had been postponed twice.
The judge ordered a brief recess to review the great-aunt’s home study and call the attorneys into his chambers.
The judge then issued his ruling…
THE BABY WOULD STAY WITH US UNTIL ANOTHER PERMANENCY HEARING ON MAY 25TH!!!!
So – HERE WE GO AGAIN!!!
But by May 25th, Lil Bit will be in our home as a member of our family for 6 months of his 9 months of life! Two-thirds of his life with us!
That will be to our benefit at the next hearing….
A HUGE THANK YOU for all your prayers!
Have a great week cherishing your loved ones!
Hugs to you all!
