If your mother put your sister out and you took her in, or if your mother let her leave and has not had contact with her for a specific amount of time (in many states this is 30-90 days), this is considered abandonment. It can carry with it criminal charges, so go carefully if this is the direction you want to take.
As an adult immediate family member, you will in many states have a preference for custody of your minor sibling. Contact your local DHS (Department of Human Services) or CPS (Child Protective Services) office and find out what you must do in the jurisdiction where you live. It might be advisable for you to seek legal counsel before you begin, and many custody attorneys will give you a free first consultation.
How can you best gain custody of your children who are currently living with their mother and the mother is a drug dealer
I would think that you would have to file a petition in the Family Court of the area that the child lives in, and then you would have to prove her to be an "unfit" parent.
not if she's married, or a single mother living in Arizona
mother has sole custody even if living with father
You have to get a lawyer and file for custody. There are some agencies that can provide free legal counsel, contact your local child protection service.
Yes
Yes. For the father to get legal custody he has to go to court and petition for it after he has proved paternity. If he has had the child for the past 18 months, this should not be a problem.
That would be called joint custody and can be a good arrangement if it can be accomplished.
The courts will determine who gets custody of the child. The courts will consider what is in the best interest of the child.
15% to
the father gets the custody of the child if the mother dies
wife