Legal Question in Family Law in Arkansas

Re: Ex-wife headache

Something that is done is California is to have a note book that goes with the child. Any information that is needed by the receiving parent is written in the note book, this information ranges from instructions regarding medication to the child's schedule of activities.

Each parent records in the note book information that may be needed by the other parent, such as child has had an elevated temperature etc.

The note book is not to be used for derogatory comments about the other parent etc. This should help eliminate the delay problem at the exchange. The court could order each parent to use the note book.

Good Luck

Re: Ex-wife headache

Dad can insist that they meet at the police station, and then he goes only there. If Mom is coming to get the child, Dad can wait a reasonable time (say, 15 minutes) then go back home. Mom will have to go to Dad's house to pick up the child every time she's later than 15 minutes. This is usually why we say "receiving parent transports" -- if it's Dad's turn to have the child, he picks up at Mom's house, Mom picks up at Dad's house to bring the child back to her house.

Dad can start a journal in which he and Mom communicate about the child -- that he had an ear ache last night, that he had a good time at the zoo and learned how to say hippopotamus, that he ripped his jeans so you're keeping them until you get them patched. The journal goes with the child with every rotation.

Telephone calls -- usually the "nonresidential" parent has reasonable telephone contact if the child is gone more than a day or two. If you have the boy only on weekends, she can stand to go without phone calls from Friday night to Sunday night. Next time she calls, Dad can tell her the parenting/custody order doesn't provide for telephone contact (if that's the case) and that he doesn't want her to interrupt his short time with the child. If Dad has the boy for longer periods, next time she calls, he can tell her she can call at a certain time on a certain day, such as every other evening at 8:00 p.m. after he's gotten ready for bed, but not like she's been doing. If she persists, Dad will have to be prepared to give in or take a hard line.

Dad can phone in every violation of the restraining order and request the officer to file a report. I mean each and every violation. Eventually, the police will get tired of the violations and either cite her or yell at Dad. But it's their job to enforce the protective order and to file reports of violations.