Meant To Be A Dad

Hello,

My name is MG Xxxxx, and I live in Atlanta, Georgia. I am a blessed man and proud to say, "the primary parent of a beautiful child." I am not going to put the identifying information online because of legal reasons.  For most Dads, the idea of receiving court elected primary custody is unthinkable and to add the State of Georgia to the equation.

I am sure every man who calls themself a "Dad", can relate to putting everything in your life on the line for your kid(s), to live their best life, and to shelter them from any feeling of guilt for being happy, even if it means living primarily with one parent and having regular visitations with the other parent.

• I have to fight to keep my daughter
• I have to hire an attorney
• I am attempting to raise $5,000 to retain an attorney
• Or a referral to an attorney who will take the case (prayerfully pro bono).

At the time my child was born I was married to her mother.  I loved being married and my biggest love came when my daughter was born.  It was then that I knew one of my purposes in life was to be… Her Dad!  When my child was only 2 years old her mother decided to advance her career by taking a job out of state. Unbeknownst to me my wife found another "financial provider" while living out of state and advised me we were now separated.  Quite frankly, my wife abandoned our marriage and child and it took me 5-years before I could acknowledge the realization of this.

Too keep me fearful; my ex would threaten to take my daughter whenever she and her "financial provider" came into town to visit my child.  Thankfully, the guy did not want the responsibility of a child. On the other hand, I waited 5 years before I decided to move forward with life. I file for custody and had my ex served. My ex moved back to Georgia with a vengeance.

I am a simple guy who works for a living and make a modest income. I live for my child and I work to provide the best I can for my family. On the overhand, my daughter’s mother comes from a family of money and status (so they say).   She moved back (without “financial provider”), and hired a big law firm to destroy me. I will never believe my ex want our daughter, but I think her family does because she’s the mother and the thought of our daughter not being raised by her mother is an embarrassment to the family.   They don’t care that my daughter has a great father who is more nurturing than the mother.   My ex, her family and legal firm had two goals to break my spirit and destroy me financially, which they accomplished the later.

The divorce/custody case took 3 years (because she appealed twice the temporary order) which was never heard of by most counsel.   She had the money to put roadblocks and delays which greatly increased my attorney fees.  However, I did receive primary custody because my daughter’s mother abandoned her child in the eyes of the judge.  I am grateful because of this ruling.   Also, I am much appreciative to the guardian ad litem who carried support in my favor.

What saddens me is the unfairness with respect to legal fees. The judge warned my ex’s counsel, that if “they” don’t stop their antics they could bankrupt the father.   Even with all the tricks, subpoenas, appeals, and unwarranted delays brought on by my ex’s counsel the judge did not award me legal fees. My attorney and I were shocked.   If the situation was reversed the mother would have been awarded legal fees no matter the difference with income.  My attorney reminded me to be grateful because in the state of Georgia and “having a female judge”, you were awarded custody of your daughter.   For which I am Thankful, but after the judgment and because my attorney was confident the judge would honor me with restoration of almost $30,000 in attorney fees and legal expenses.  Now, I am responsible for those fees.

And since that case I have been served again and made to go to court twice for being late (failing to send report card to mother fast enough) and every time I have to retain a new attorney because I am still paying my previous attorney.

In the State of Georgia “as a man” I had to prove I am 3 times the better parent.  My case happened years before Usher Raymond’s custody battle 2013. I am sure he can recount as well as other male dads who were awarded primary custody; Kevin Federline, Lenny Kravitz, Cristiano Ronaldo, Deion Sanders, and Dwayne Wade.  It might have been my only option to win the fight for my child to allow my ex’s counsel to probe in my life as they pleased.   I believe the court system is ineffective in helping Dads who wish to be primary and honestly should be, especially when proven they are the better to care for parent.

• I have to fight to keep my daughter
• I have to hire an attorney
• I am attempting to raise $5,000 to retain an attorney
• Or a referral to an attorney who will take the case (prayerfully pro bono).

MY PLEA:   Would you help me please… I am walking around in a daze AND I am really scared…this time I just might lose custody of my daughter because of the State of Georgia’s age of 14; “Right to Elect the Parent They Want to live with” law.  I have just been served (June 2014) again by my ex.  My daughter’s mother is manipulating her.   My daughter has “just” turned 14, her mother has now petitioned the court for full custody.   My daughter’s mother is using pressure and persuasion of big gifts to get my daughter to choose who she wants to live with.

I have to hire another attorney and fight like hell.  My ex is using the same law firm as always. I am still making payments to the attorneys’ from the other cases. I have met with family law attorneys this week and they are requesting a retainer of $5000.   I don’t have the $5000 to retain an attorney to take my case.  I am attempting to raise $5,000 or a referral to an attorney who will take the case without a retainer (prayerfully pro bono).   I need an attorney to file an answer ASAP.

To protect myself from my ex’s counsel, I am cautious as to how much online information I should disclose pertaining to my July court dates, Judge’s name, and county.

God Bless everyone who is praying for my daughter to be safeguarded from all of this.  I don’t want publicity.   My child is in school and she deserves as much normalcy as I can provide.  I cannot give the opposing party’s name online.

At the suggestion of others for confidentially a fund account has been opened for donations at mail to: Meant To Be A Dad/co MG Dixon, 2690 Cobb PKWY A5-150, Smyrna, GA 30080.

Thanks for your prayers and support.