Rushing Custody Hearing due to Emotional Abuse??

FLORIDA

I have a 7 year old daughter. Her mother and I have equal custody a week on a week off. We have had this custody for just over 3 years. In the begining it worked out just fine. About 2 years ago her mother started to become a different person. She started dating a meth dealer and moved in with him. She would often leave our daughter unsupervised with his two children all under the age of 7 at the time. I contacted DCF and her mother moved out of the home and broke up with that guy.

Things wer fine again until March of this year when she got married. Since this man has come into my daughters life there has been issues. I have had to press charges on him myself for threatening to kill myself and my wife. I had to call DCF about 2 months ago because he was pinching my daughter and telling her not to cry, and when she cried because it hurt her he would then spank her. He also tells her that he does not want her there and calls her names. He also hits her mother in front of her.

After speaking with DCF they advised that what was going on in her mothers home was unacceptable. however the state of Fl has this new program where if the abuse is mild they try putting the family and child through counseling. And the step father had to sign a form stating that he would go to sessions to learn how to interact with my daughter. I personally do not think this is enough.

I have been in a custody battle with her mother to get full custody for almost a year now. It seems to be taking forever to get a hearing. I also have 2 contempt of courts in because her mother kept her away from me for a month and did not let me contact her at all just because her lawyer at the time told her she could do whatever she wanted to do. (she doesn't have that lawyer anymore)

Counseling has been going on for about 2 sessions so far and yesterday I received an assment. It stated that my daughter is being emotionaly abuse and has an adjustment disorder with mood. Also stated was that her mother adivsed that when she is at her house she has issues with our daughter lying, crying, sadness so on. When she is at home with me she has NONE of these issues. The counsler has asked if there is any way that I can get full custody. I advised I'm working on it.

So my question is. Is there a way that I can speed up the custody hearing process due to the new information from the counsler that emotional abuse is going on in her mothers home? The physical abuse has stopped since DCF has been out to speak with the stepfather.

Any advise would be great! Thank you.

Dont give up!!! I would suggest filing for an Emergency Hearing. Have ALL your evidence organized and see if the Counselor would go to that hearing with you and/or write a statement of Recomendation to the Court. Make sure it is nortorized, check with your Court about procedures for your state!