Hey everyone,
As most of you close to us know, I have been carrying an incredibly heavy burden for a really long time. Since February of 2017, I have been locked in an exhausting, high-conflict custody battle. Through all of it, my only goal has been to give my kids a safe, stable, and peaceful home where they can just be kids.
Recently, things took a major turn: the legal case is being forcefully moved from California here to South Carolina. Because the other side has deep pockets and has hired lawyers in both states to keep the pressure on, we are at a massive crossroads. To protect our boys and make sure our voices are actually heard in this completely new court system, we urgently need to get a local attorney on our side.
Where things stand right now
This fight has been an uphill battle from the start. Even in the early years, I had a constant stream of false allegations lobbed against me. But things drastically intensified after Monika and I got married in 2020. From that point on, it became a shared battle for our whole family. The false accusations and legal attacks only got worse and more aggressive as time passed, directly targeting me, Monika, and even dragging her kids into the crossfire.
Many of you walked with us through the massive relief we felt in April 2023, when California CPS stepped in due to the severe emotional abuse the boys were facing. Following that intervention, a comprehensive court evaluation completed in March 2024 recommended that I be granted sole physical and legal custody. The evaluation documented a heartbreaking history of the boys enduring emotional abuse, including being deliberately coached to make false allegations, as well as experiencing food restriction and severe educational neglect.
Thankfully, the court listened to the facts. In July 2025, a judge officially granted me sole legal and physical custody of Ryder and Landon. Under this current order, her contact is strictly limited to supervised visits.
Since Ryder and Landon came to live with us full-time two years ago, they’ve finally felt safe enough to start healing. But as they’ve opened up, they have shared more details of the mental, emotional, and physical abuse they went through that we didn't previously know about.
On top of trying to help our boys heal, we are still dealing with constant legal bullying, threats, and completely fabricated stories. This endless litigation has put a massive financial and emotional strain on our household of nine, draining our resources and keeping us from being able to buy a home. Unless you have lived through an abusive litigation nightmare like this, it’s truly impossible to describe the toll it takes on your daily life.
The strategy and our goal
South Carolina’s Family Court is a completely different animal. The rules are incredibly strict, and if you don't have local representation, the judge still holds you to the exact same standards as a seasoned attorney. In a high-stakes interstate case, a single missed form or technical mistake could put the boys' hard-won custody orders and current protections at risk. We simply cannot take that chance.
We found an excellent South Carolina attorney who came highly recommended by someone we trust implicitly. He specializes in interstate custody battles and is fully ready to step in as a shield for Ryder and Landon.
Everyone knows that good legal representation is incredibly expensive and requires a substantial upfront retainer. Our goal is to raise $25,000, which we estimate will cover the initial retainer required to get our lawyer on record immediately, plus the extra costs to actually get things done and sustain our defense through the upcoming South Carolina hearings.
How you can help
We are asking our community to help us build this legal shield so Ryder and Landon can keep their peace. Every single dollar raised here will sit securely on this platform until we can transfer it directly into our attorney's trust account to cover these legal fees and court costs.
- Contribute to the fund: Any amount helps us clear this immediate hurdle and get our lawyer on record.
- Direct payment options: If you want to give but prefer not to send money online before the lawyer is officially hired, please reach out to us directly. We can take a "pledge" and send you the firm's direct trust account link the exact second our file is opened so your check goes straight to them.
- Keep us in your prayers: Please pray for our new legal team, for wisdom as we transition everything to the SC courts, and most importantly, for the continued emotional healing of our kids. You can also use the "Pray" button right here on our page to leave a note for us.
- Share our link: Even though many of you know our story, sharing this link with your own networks helps us reach people we might not otherwise connect with.
Thank you all so much for the text messages, the prayers, and for standing by our family through every single twist and turn of this journey. We love you guys and are so grateful for our village.
With all our love and gratitude,
Peter & Monika Steyne & family
