In re Custody of Ayala

Petitioner Luis Ayala, Jr. (Luis), and respondent Wanda Lozado (Wanda) are the unmarried parents of Jessica Ayala (Jessica) and are engaged in a custody battle over Jessica. In 1998, the court awarded temporary custody of Jessica to Luis and visitation rights to Wanda. In June 2001, Luis was convicted and jailed for conspiracy to sell drugs. That same month, the court entered four orders in the parties’ custody case which, among other findings and directives, joined Luis’s wife and parents as parties to the proceedings and granted them joint custody of Jessica with Luis. Pursuant to section 2…