As soon as the motion is signed by the judge, as little as an hour
There will be a hearing. Show up. The judge will take it from there.
yes
Get a custody hearing from a court and see where they can take it from there. You must prove you are capable of looking after the child long term in a safe and nurturing environment. Get a good lawyer.
My husband is going through a custody battle in Florida right now and we filed seven months ago and there is no hearing as yet... Still working through the preliminary "stuff" and custody has not been even heard as yet with no scheduled date for a hearing. I know some states there is a law that states custody hearings are given the utmost importance... Florida apparently is not one of them.
Not without a a first right of refusal in the current custody orders, or custody modification
Yes, the parents have to pay child support. They can give you temporary custody.
You can leave and ask for temporary custody until the court has determined permanent custody.
That is up to the judge.
To my knowledge, if a state agency is not involved because of negelct or abuse, your mother-in-law can get temporary custody if you go to family court and ask that she take temporary custody until you are ready to take them back; it could be because you are having financial difficulty, hospitalization or other issue that you need to deal with As far as your mother-in-law getting custody against your will, I don't think that can happen. If it is happening, you need to contact your local Child Protective Services.
Temporary custody is the precursor to the final decision. Therefore, if you have been awarded temporary custody, this may not be the final decision by the judge. The judge will take in all considerations and issue a permanent order that will state the custody arrangements.
Custody is granted by the courts, and that's where you need to go.
If by court order, it will need to be approved by the court. A mediated agreement can be presented to the judge for approval and signature. But, there should be a long term parentingplan to show she will not return to previous circumstances.