Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry. I'm sure you needed this like another hole in your noggin. Let's hope she's all hot air. I would think the court would appoint a guardian et litem (spelling??) for her and can help her think it through and make the correct recommendation. Maybe she won't really want to spend the money.

I'm so sorry you have to deal with this after so long. I would hope a gal would see that allowing your xdl to import a free babysitter would not be in gd best interest.
I fear that as well, currently mine are 5 and 7 but I can see mom trying to get custody when she won't have to pay daycare.
Some states now have additional clause concerning defacto custodians which puts us on equal footing with bios for custody consideration, maybe your state does, hopefully everyone will see change of custody is not in teens best interest, after basically being raised by you

I hope your GD realizes she is going to be a free babysitter. Does she get along with the 10 year old?

Your gd is old enough to sit down and talk about the decision. I'm sure she would not want to leave her life right in the middle of high school. Offer a generous visitation schedule if she stays with you. Point out what she has today and tell her she should not have to feel guilty. Have you considered turning mom in? That may shut her up for awhile. Also, the judge will not look kindly on her running away from charges. If she is leaving the 10 year old alone, that is child abuse. They are not supposed to be left alone until age 12. This also might anger the judge. Your gd may not be in a position to decide if judge rules mom unfit. Don't give up yet.

Daisy, Her mom moved next door to the high school she is going to for her IB program. This leaves our house not near her HS friends as it's over 30 miles one way. IShe has friends from Jr High, and I let her visit and gang with them as much as possible based on her school work. As for visitation, she is allowed over to her Mom's for weekends whenever she wants. Needless to say she came home with lice again the last time. It's been about a month since she was over there last... She called her mom to inform her about the lice. Her mom got angry with her saying she brought them and GD came right back and said no, I just had my hair cut and they will not cut hair Mom if you have lice. I got them from over there and I'm just asking you to check your head and brothers. Now I guess Mom is sending her nasty text. I just hope my GD see's what she might be walking into if she decides to move over there. If and when I get the court papers I will sit down and have a very deep talk with my GD

IF just IF, your XDIL does file and IF she gets your GD back make sure that you have grandparents visitation set up during that hearing. If you file after that it could take months.

A year and half ago when my XDIL got the girls back the court told her it was in the best interests of the girls to see the the grandparents they had been living with often.

Needless to say as soon as the girls were back with mom all visits with those grandparents stopped. They had to file for grandparents visitation and that took 6 months. We also filed for grandparent visitation but it only took us 6 weeks since she did not fight our request.