Custody Issue

[hbrooke03]

I am a 22 year old mother of a 3 year old. My boyfriend, my son's father, of 5 years is saying he is taking me to court for our son. He has been abusive to an extent in the past. Two years ago, he tried running me off the road and busted my car windows out with a gun, while I was in the car. He also took off with our son and hide him for 6 hours. I pressed charges on him and had a protective order against him. We got back together trying to work things out for the sake of our relationship and our son. We recently went our seperate ways, because I started to see the "old" him again and got scared. I told him he just needed to stay away from me and our son. I told him that he wasn't a good role model for our son seeing how he leaves everytime he gets mad and does some of the things he does in front of our son. He called me today telling me he was sitting a court date for Jace and needed me to be there. Part of me is worried and the other is not. He has alot of warrants in fines in 3 of the surronding counties. He didn't have a license when he was stopped numerous times. So now those are attached to a warrant. Also, from the time I pressed charges on him. The protective order and the child support case he still owes on and those now have warrants attached. The protective order is still in effect til sept of this year. It is for me and our son against him. I was a bit worried about that seeing how we have been living together for almost a year with the protective order. Will that effect anything seeing how we was on mutual terms? Also he now has a domestic abuse in presence of a minor child on his record and an assult and battery on a guy he got into a fight with around the time we had our big ordeal. Also he is unemployed at the time... he lost his job. He is living with his mother. I live on my own and I am a full-time student. My bills get paid thru loans and I take care of my son with LITTLE support from him. I also have a wonderful family who helps me out ALOT! His family RARELY has anything to do with our son, because they don't like me. He wants to be able to see him ANYTIME he wants and now since I put my foot down because he won't help he wants to take it to court. I feel like i'm putting our son in the middle. I don't want to keep him from him, but I want help. I still get the fear that he will take off with him and I will never see him. I just wonder if I am in the wrong. I also wonder if he will have a good chance on getting joint custody or not. All my family knows how he is and knows what he has done. For the first year of our sons life he was not around alot. He was always leaving us when he got mad. My son loves his daddy, but can tell you that his daddy is mean to his mommy. I just don't want my son acting that way he when he gets older, but at the same time I don't want to completely keep him from his dad but I also want help. Someone pleaseeeee give me some advice. I am freaking out right now!