OK. First off, this whole situation sucks. 
I’m really looking for advice and steps on how to do a couple things.
1)Get a restraining order against my ex-brother-in-law.
2)Change custody of my niece to my sister.
3)Be able to afford the transitions.
My sister and her ex-husband had my niece when they were married 15-odd years ago. They divorced 3 years later and custody for my niece was with her father. (My sister at that time didn’t want a child or responsibility and that’s a whole long pit thread in itself). My sister has had weekends with my niece and from time to time, longer stays (9 months or so being the longest).
Friday night my niece and her father got in a verbal argument that escalated to physical violence. He threw against the wall and knocked her unconscious. He then proceeded to hit her with his fists as she laid there until his wife intervened. She then was hit a couple times and he broke her nose. After that, he “realized” what he did and took his wife to the hospital leaving my niece unconscious on the floor. A couple hours later my niece came to and called my sister. My sister instructed her to immediately go to the neighbors’ and call the cops as my sister drove the hour distance to my niece. My niece called the police and my ex-b.i.l. has spent the last couple nights in jail, apparently to be released today.
My niece is a minor (15 y.o.) and the incident happened in a different county. So, can my sister file a restraining order in her county or does she need to go to the county where the incident took place? (FWIW, my sister lives in Washington County, he lives in Anoka County. I did find some info at the Washington County Website).
Obviously, my niece shouldn’t be living with my ex-b.i.l. and my sister wants to take her in. She needs to get this changed as soon as possible but doesn’t have the means, or knowledge, to do this or the restraining order actually. (She and her husband are both unemployed right now). She’s gotten a bit of the run-around so far as she was divorce in one county and they live in two other counties. (Does that even make a difference?)
Sigh. Any help is greatly appreciated (and please let me know if I need to give any info. I’m not sure what’s needed.) Thanks.