A child custody dispute can create strife in families. Sometimes those disputes can get resolved in Oklahoma by mediation and sometimes court action is necessary. A divorce or relocation can impend the best interest of the child. It’s important for parents to know their rights in a case involving child custody.

Two women were recently vindicated after they were mistakenly accused of abducting a baby in Oklahoma. The incident spawned a 14-hour search. It turned out the two women who had the child actually had legal authorization from the mother. The women had taken the 5-month-old girl from her grandmother’s home in Oklahoma on their way to Texas. The grandmother called the police and authorities issued an Amber Alert.

The baby’s mother, awaiting transfer on a drug charge in Texas, had actually given written permission to the two women to take the baby from Oklahoma to the baby’s aunt’s home in Texas. The two women possessed a notarized power of attorney giving them authority to take the girl. The two women were not arrested and no new information on whether the baby’s grandmother would contest the custody of the child was available.

A child custody battle can turn ugly in the event of a divorce or acrimony between family members or legal guardians. In any custody dispute, Oklahoma courts will put the best interest of the child first. Having an attorney with a solid knowledge of applicable Oklahoma laws and federal guidelines is important. It can make the difference between having and losing custody of a child.