Visitation for a Working Teenager

My question involves a child custody case from the State of: Ohio

My son is 17 and will be 18 in August. He has a part time job and will be working more during the summer. Since he has been working (6 months) for the most part he visits with his dad on visitation weekends and a few times he hasn't because of work. I have explained to my son that it is important to spend time with his dad, despite work and he always attempts to switch shifts or find someone to work for him, but it always doesn't work out. When this does happen, he lets his dad know he is scheduled to work and can he take him. His dad always tells him no becasue he moved 30 miles away, and tells him that having a job is being responsible and he should work. Up until now there have been no problems with him working. Recently, dad told me I was preventing him from visiting and threatened to take me back to court. My son and his dad have always been able to work things out and I rarely get involved (dad and I do not have good relationship). I know what contempt is and do not want to be held incontempt. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Tell dad by the time it gets to court, junior will be an adult and able to legally give his true feelings on the issue. Until then, he should continue to work with junior on scheduling.

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Quoting Stormy1

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My question involves a child custody case from the State of: Ohio

My son is 17 and will be 18 in August. He has a part time job and will be working more during the summer. Since he has been working (6 months) for the most part he visits with his dad on visitation weekends and a few times he hasn't because of work. I have explained to my son that it is important to spend time with his dad, despite work and he always attempts to switch shifts or find someone to work for him, but it always doesn't work out. When this does happen, he lets his dad know he is scheduled to work and can he take him. His dad always tells him no becasue he moved 30 miles away, and tells him that having a job is being responsible and he should work. Up until now there have been no problems with him working. Recently, dad told me I was preventing him from visiting and threatened to take me back to court. My son and his dad have always been able to work things out and I rarely get involved (dad and I do not have good relationship). I know what contempt is and do not want to be held incontempt. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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Just to make sure that I understand, dad has agreed up until now about son missing visitation to work?...but is threatening you with contempt now? What kind of visitation and amount of visitation is dad supposed to get for the summer? Perhaps he realizes that this is the last summer that his son will be required to visit him and definitely wants his time?

Is there any way to provide your son with a reliable vehicle while he is at dad's so that he can get himself back and forth to work?

Yes you are correct. Dad is to get up to 5 weeks but typically only takes 2-3. My son uses my other car which is not reliable enough. He uses it for school because bussing was eliminated and work 10 minutes away. His dad moved about 30 miles or so a year ago. He is wanting to work more so he can buy a more reliable car and pay his car insurance, as i have been paying this for him the last few months. I don't get any support from dad and i am currently paying for braces so he wants to help where he can. I would just like to come to some agreement for the next 3 months.

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Quoting Stormy1

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Yes you are correct. Dad is to get up to 5 weeks but typically only takes 2-3. My son uses my other car which is not reliable enough. He uses it for school because bussing was eliminated and work 10 minutes away. His dad moved about 30 miles or so a year ago. He is wanting to work more so he can buy a more reliable car and pay his car insurance, as i have been paying this for him the last few months. I don't get any support from dad and i am currently paying for braces so he wants to help where he can. I would just like to come to some agreement for the next 3 months.

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I am going to give you an example of a true story....

A 17, about to be 18 year old daughter was given the opportunity to do summer school at her local state university and if she did well in this summer program, it was to lead to a full ride scholarship.

Dad, who lived in another state refused to cooperate at all. It wasn't as though she wasn't going to be visiting at all, its just that she couldn't go for the full time. Daughter decided she was going to the program anyway, and mom decided to back her up because the full ride scholarship was too much to give up.

Daughter went for the shorter visit (after the summer program was over) and shortly after that dad filed for contempt against mom. The judge found mom in contempt and since a fine was the only option the judge had for punishment, the judge chose to fine mom $5000.00...and dad pursued the judgment fiercely.

Unfortunately it backfired a bit on dad since his adult daughter refused to have anything to do with him afterwards, but mom still had to pay 5 grand. I bet you could make your car reliable for a lot less than 5 grand.

If I understand what you are telling us, to date Dad has said, "It's good that you have a job, and it's okay that you miss some visits because of your job." What is he suggesting that you have done that prevents visitation? Are you telling him that he cannot have his extended summer visits because junior has a job?

There is a difference between missing a day here or there due to work and blatantly missing weeks of visitation. I suggest you switch cars for a few weeks.

Thanks for the true story. I simply cant afford to put money into the car for him to drive possibly 100 miles a day. I surely cant afford a fine or contempt. I am not stopping dad from taking his 5 weeks. In the past i have questioned why he doesnt take the 5 weeks during the summer and he said because he doesnt want it.

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My son just came in from practice and gave me his work schedule. He said he already spoke to dad and told him he had to work but was trying to get someone to ake his shift. Dad said if not that was ok. I texted him to confirm and no response yet. I'm confused???

Hopefully, if your son is a good employee, showing his boss a copy of the visitation order will protect his job for a few months.

The kid told his dad he can't go to the visits because of work, but if is visit is a whole weekend, I know the kid isn't working for 48 hours straight. If the issue is merely transportation and neither you, nor your son can afford a new car for him, why don't you help transport the kid to dad's? It may be a pain to use all that gas money, but it will be cheaper than a contempt fine, and cheaper than buying a car.

Meanwhile, if there is a child support order, you need to pursue enforcement, or have him held in contempt for non-payment.