free legal advice on fathers rights?

father and mother never married but had a child together and when they seperated mother left child with father and then she died and father thought it would be best for child to stay in contact with her family and let them take him for a fews weeks but when he called and said he was coming to pick him up they didnt give him back and they took him to court for custody of child but mother died in another county and they must if told there lawyer that she died where they had her buried at but she died in another county my son couldnt afford a lawyer so he lost in court and they wouldnt apoint him one either they change the dates to appear on him a few times and that why today my son doesnt have custody of his only son can anyone help in giving some answers on how we can get my grandchild home with his father i miss him alot this happen in the state of illinois

Public Comments

1. call authorites and officals,child welfare,courts, if you love him do everything possible.......ilinois,now i know never to move threre.....hope you succeed
2. Do you have free lega laid in your country? Under a certain amount you can have legal aid. Talk to anyone who will listen,Ring up radio stations.Write letters. Some out there will listen and maybe help.Seek the aid of your local politician,They are elected to help citizens.Do everything in your power to get your grandson back.
3. The courts have to appoint a lawyer, this right is granted by the bill of rights. If one was not provided then you need to make an appeal for a new custody battle. If you love this child, you should be doing everything in your power to ensure that baby boy is at home with him.
4. They probably should have appointed a lawyer for the case if he could not afford one. Most times people think that appointing a lawyer is only for criminal but in some situations for paternity it has been upheld that a person has the right to counsel. It can go either way. Check out Lassiter v. Department of Social Services http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/historics/USSC_CR_0452_0018_ZS.html The long version of Lassiter http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=452&invol=18 You may also want to research the Eldridge factors. They are the guideline of when due process was not followed. You should also consider filing a paternity suit in the state where the grandparents live. Most states have forms that can be filled out at either a Family Court or a court that can handle Equity. If the child was living with him, he will have rights from that in itself (atleast in most states).