Hi all. My name is Amanda, if you're reading this and you know me and my family, you've probably heard me talk about my kids William, 14, and Elaina, 11.

What you may not know is, they are not actually my kids; they are my cousin's children. She unexpected passed away in 2014, and my mom was granted guardianship of William and Elaina in 2016. They lived in New Hampshire at the time, so when my mom was granted guardianship, she had to fly from our home in Florida and sign papers for the NH court to bring them home. We have been co-parenting them ever since, and I treat them as my own children.

We received a letter earlier this year 2024 stating that we should have had their case transfered from a NH court to a FL court immediately, and since it's been 8 years, we have to get it done. We were never told we had to do this, but nonetheless, we started figuring out how to do what we needed to. Every step of the way has been hurdle after hurdle. We were told we cannot walk into the courthouse to file the papers, a lawyer needed to. We have looked high and low for a lawyer to help us, but everywhere we turned, either they did not want to take on this case because it was not a divorce/custody case, or there was a high-end fee that needed to be paid before they would even look into our case. All the while, the clock was ticking.

My mother had a hearing with the NH court in November where she explained the hardship of trying to find a lawyer with a rate we can afford, but the judge said he had had enough and we've used up our time; he was canceling the guardianship. He gave us a deadline for 12/31/24, afterwhich the guardianship will cease.

After taking the day to get over the shock of hearing those words, my mother went back to work looking for a lawyer to help. She made call after call and spent days at the courthouse asking for help. Finally, they pointed her in the direction of someone who might be able to help. After getting him all the paperwork he needed, he said he would be able to file the papers and get the case transferred to Florida so we can avoid the cancelation of guardianship. The only catch: he requires a $2500 retainer before he will file the papers.

God has been so good to help us find a lawyer willing to help us at what is considered a discounted rate, however, we live paycheck to paycheck. We get by, but we do not have a spare $2500 laying around, nor is there enough time to save up that amount before guardianship ceases in 13 days. My family has never been one to ask for handouts or favors, but if it's to keep my children in the home and with the family they've known for most of their lives, I'm not to proud to ask.

I know it's Christmas time, and people are stretched as it is. But I'm asking for help. For your help. If you find it on your heart to help my family out, please know how deeply it would be appreciated.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Love always,

The DeFrancisco/Scott Family