I contacted a lawyer and on the low end of the spectrum I'm looking at $1500 just to represent a standard case where both sides agree, I can't imagine a full-blown case. I have some help in order to represent myself, I know roughly what to do but I am currently in the stage of collecting evidence. Even if I retain a lawyer, I would have to provide that lawyer with the evidence of the inside operations of cult practices. I have help from a law student and public speaking student as to word what I want to say. I'll review a bunch with them tomorrow.
What I have (this is a lot of work but hey, whadayaknow):
- Given her current track record it won't be hard to convince a judge that this isn't how things should be. The child is under 1 year old so competency doesn't really come into play for another 10-15 years.
- I have a bunch of news reports already right now (as far as I can find - i've collected records of at least 20 young children in the last 5 years either dying or having the courts intervene, there are literally hundreds across all age groups that are reported on, competent people (adults) have died a lot more).
- I have a rough overview of what happened and what I want from the judge (as far as custody, visitation and what I don't want my child to learn)
I just need proof for my allegations that if I don't get joint legal custody this could be potentially harmful:
- I'm looking for clear evidence that the blood doctrine is official policy with the Witnesses and currently being thought (so it doesn't get thrown with the old light doctrine).
- I also would like to prevent that she grows up having to shun me or people around me so I'm looking for clear cut evidence that this is encouraged in minors (I have the most recent articles on apostates)
- I am mainly looking for JW quotes including references of parents shunning children, vice versa or parents being encouraged to sacrifice their children to the blood doctrine
- I would like to prevent her from getting baptized while a minor. We know what it implies to be baptized and disfellowshipped. I need to explain it (with proof) quickly to a judge that this would be a life time committment with shunning if she does something against the religious order or wants to leave.
Reading through old magazines and crap, the slimy weasels word their articles so darn vague on those topics it's hard to get an interpretation without teaching the whole JW doctrine and what the insider words mean. The same thing on disfellowshipping, what it means, when it applies, minors etc - it's not in a single chapter of the Bible Teach book.