If your visitation is court ordered your ex-wife cannot do that. The chances of her going to court and having your visitation reduced are slim and there is no chance of it being eliminated unless you are abusing the children or arrested. She is bluffing. Call her bluff. If she appears and demands the children, have your court order in hand and call the police and tell her that she cannot take the children during your court ordered visitation.
I agree with mal. Since you have a court order for 4 week visitation every summer, don’t let her push you into cutting it short. If you continue to let her do this then she will always do it. Put your foot down now. Let HER threaten to take it to court. mal is correct that there’s no reason the court would shorten or eliminate your visits without cause. She’s blowing smoke…let her. If you are truly tired of this then quit letting her get away with it. Follow the court order to the letter and do NOT let her have them back sooner. Since you are the one that drives for pick up and drop off, just simply do not take them back until your alloted time is up. If she does lower herself enough to drive there, do not let her take the children. Have court order in hand and also any documentation of agreement on these visitation dates…
You can file a motion and order to show cause to enforce the court order as it is written. Unless there has been a substantial change in circumstances there is no reason that the visitation schedule should be changed.
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Helena M. Nevicosi
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In the ongoing saga of my ex, she is at it again. She does this to me virtually every summer. I have a court ordered 4 week visit with my children every summer. We both sit down and lok at the calendar and decide which 4 weeks is best and then we make plans accordingly. I arrange for my daughter to have time at a really good day camp in the area while I am at work, where she gets swimming lessons and lots of good stuff she enjoys. Then about halfway during the visit, or sometimes near the end, my ex will pop up and say, “I need them back sooner because we have a vacation that we have planned” I lose time with the children, and money because I cannot get days at camp refunded. She has done this to me time and time again and she says she is entitled to this and there is nothing I can do about it. If I threaten to take this to court, she says she will be glad to go to court because she states she will be able to get my visitation legally cut short or even eliminated. I’m tired of it all!