Robert Gradel,
Attorney At Law, Lampasas, Texas
A Lawyer Specializing in Family Law
107 East Second Street
Lampasas, Texas 76550
(512) 556-8234 (office)
(512) 556-8236 (fax)
MEDIATION STRATEGIES FOR RESOLVING
THE CHILD CUSTODY CASE
Presented by Robert Gradel
HIGHLAND LAKES MEDIATORS
MARCH 10, 004
(Continued)
The order below is one example of making the possession order
fit the parties. The following possession order was entered in a case in which
Dad had a job which was very time consuming during the summer months, leaving
him little time for the child, but work slacked off during the rest of the
year. The case settled by splitting up the school year, granting Mom alternating
possession of Mondays and Tuesdays, Dad got Wednesdays and Thursdays, with
SPO for the holidays. Dad got 2 weeks in the summer. Mom agreed to move with
the child and reside in a specific school district so the order could be implemented.
In the order, neither parent was given the right to establish domicile of
the child. They agreed to split the income tax exemption in alternating years,
father agreed to pay some child support.
Possession Order
The Court finds that there is good cause to deviate from the Standard
Possession Order.
IT IS ORDERED that the conservators shall comply with all terms and conditions
of this Possession Order. IT IS ORDERED that this Possession Order is effective
immediately and applies to all periods of possession occurring on and after
the signing of this Possession Order. IT IS, THEREFORE, ORDERED:
(a) Definitions
1. In this Possession Order "school"
means the primary or secondary school in which the child is enrolled or,
if the child is not enrolled in a primary or secondary school, the public
school district in which the child primarily resides.
2. In this Possession Order "child"
includes SUZIE Q. SMITH, who is a subject of this suit while that child
is under the age of eighteen years and not otherwise emancipated.
(b) Mutual Agreement or Specified Terms for Possession
IT IS ORDERED that the conservators shall have possession
of SUZIE Q. SMITH at times mutually agreed to in advance by the parties,
and, in the absence of mutual agreement, it is ORDERED that the conservators
shall have possession of SUZIE Q. SMITH under the specified terms set out
in this Standard Possession Order.
(c) Specific Periods of Possession
Except as otherwise explicitly provided in this
Possession Order, when MOMMY SMITH shall have the right to possession of
SUZIE Q. SMITH as follows:
1. Weekdays - On Monday
and Tuesday of each week during the school year from the time school starts
on Monday morning until the time school starts on Wednesday morning.
2. Weekend Possession -
Every other weekend during the school year from the time school begins on
Friday until the time school begins the following Monday. In the event that
weekend periods of possession are interrupted by holiday periods of possession,
then the alternating weekend periods shall begin following the holiday with
the party that did not have possession of the child during the holiday period.
3. Christmas Holidays in Even-Numbered
Years - In even-numbered years, beginning at 6:00 p.m. on the day the
child is dismissed from school for the Christmas school vacation and ending
at noon on December 26.
4. Christmas Holidays in Odd-Numbered
Years - In odd-numbered years, beginning at noon on December 26 and
ending at 6:00 p.m. on the day before the child's school resumes after that
Christmas school vacation.
5. Thanksgiving in Odd-Numbered
Years - In odd-numbered years, beginning at 6:00 a.m. on the day the
child is dismissed from school for the Thanksgiving holiday and ending at
6:00 p.m. on the Sunday following Thanksgiving.
6. Spring Break in Even-Numbered
Years - In even-numbered years, beginning at 6:00 p.m. on the day the
child is dismissed from school for the school's spring vacation and ending
at 6:00 p.m. on the day before school resumes after that vacation.
7. Extended Summer Possession
by MOMMY SMITH
MOMMY SMITH shall have possession of the child the
day after the child's school is dismissed for the summer vacation and ending
on the day before school resumes at the end of the summer vacation in that
year, subject to the right of DADDY SMITH to exercise summer periods of
possession as provided herein. These periods of possession shall begin and
end at 6:00 p.m.
8. Child's Birthday - If
MOMMY SMITH is not otherwise entitled under this Standard Possession Order
to present possession of the child on the child's birthday, MOMMY SMITH
shall have possession of the child beginning at 6:00 p.m. and ending at
8:00 p.m. on that day, provided that MOMMY SMITH picks up the child from
DADDY SMITH's residence and returns the child to that same place.
9. Mother's Day Weekend
- Each year, beginning at 6:00 p.m. on the Friday preceding Mother's Day
and ending at 6:00 p.m. on Mother's Day.
Notwithstanding the weekend and weekday periods of
possession ORDERED for MOMMY SMITH, it is explicitly ORDERED that DADDY
SMITH shall have a superior right of possession of the child as follows:
1. Weekdays - On Wednesday
and Thursday of each week during the school year from the time school starts
on Wednesday morning until the time school starts on Friday morning.
2. Weekend Possession -
Every other weekend during the school year from the time school begins on
Friday until the time school begins the following Monday. In the event that
weekend periods of possession are interrupted by holiday periods of possession,
then the alternating weekend periods shall begin following the holiday with
the party that did not have possession of the child during the holiday period.
3. Christmas Holidays in
Odd-Numbered Years - In odd-numbered years, beginning at 6:00 p.m. on the
day the child is dismissed from school for the Christmas school vacation
and ending at noon on December 26.
4. Christmas Holidays in Even-Numbered
Years - In even-numbered years, beginning at noon on December 26 and
ending at 6:00 p.m. on the day before school resumes after that Christmas
school vacation.
5. Thanksgiving in Even-Numbered
Years - In even-numbered years, beginning at 6:00 p.m. on the day the
child is dismissed from school for the Thanksgiving holiday and ending at
6:00 p.m. on the following Sunday.
6. Spring Break in Odd-Numbered
Years - In odd-numbered years, beginning at 6:00 p.m. on the day the
child is dismissed from school for the school's spring vacation and ending
at 6:00 p.m. on the day before school resumes after that vacation.
7. Summer Weekend Possession
by DADDY SMITH - If DADDY SMITH gives MOMMY SMITH written notice by
April 15 of a year, DADDY SMITH shall have possession of the child for four
weekends beginning at 6:00 p.m. on Friday and ending at 6:00 p.m. on the
following Sunday during the summer possession by MOMMY SMITH in that year,
provided that DADDY SMITH picks up the child from MOMMY SMITH and returns
the child to that same place. Said weekends shall coordinate with DADDY
SMITH's days off work.
8. Extended Summer Possession
by DADDY SMITH - If DADDY SMITH gives MOMMY SMITH written notice by
April 15 of a year or gives MOMMY SMITH fourteen days' written notice on
or after April 16 of a year, DADDY SMITH may designate fourteen (14) days
of uninterrupted possession during the summer beginning no earlier than
the day after the child's school is dismissed for the summer vacation and
ending no later than the day before school resumes at the end of the summer
vacation.
9. Child's Birthday - If
DADDY SMITH is not otherwise entitled under this Standard Possession Order
to present possession of the child on the child's birthday, DADDY SMITH
shall have possession of the child beginning at 6:00 p.m. and ending at
8:00 p.m. on that day.
(d) General Terms and Conditions Except as otherwise explicitly provided
in this Possession Order, the terms and conditions of possession of the
child that apply regardless are as follows:
1. Surrender of Child by DADDY
SMITH - DADDY SMITH is ORDERED to surrender the child to MOMMY SMITH
at the beginning of each period of MOMMY SMITH's possession at the residence
of DADDY SMITH or at the child's school.
2. Surrender of Child by MOMMY
SMITH - MOMMY SMITH is ORDERED to surrender the child to DADDY SMITH
at the beginning of each period of DADDY SMITH's possession at the residence
of MOMMY SMITH or at the child's school.
3. Personal Effects - Each
conservator is ORDERED to return with the child the personal effects that
the child brought at the beginning of the period of possession.
4. Designation of Competent
Adult - Each conservator may designate any competent adult to pick up
and return the child, as applicable. IT IS ORDERED that a conservator or
a designated competent adult be present when the child is picked up or returned.
5. Inability to Exercise Possession
- Each conservator is ORDERED to give notice to the person in possession
of the child on each occasion that the conservator will be unable to exercise
that conservator's right of possession for any specified period.
6. Written Notice - Written
notice shall be deemed to have been timely made if received or postmarked
before or at the time that notice is due. This concludes the Possession
Order. Duration. The periods of possession ordered above apply to SUZIE
Q. SMITH the subject of this suit while that child is under the age of eighteen
years and not otherwise emancipated.
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