Denied court ordered visitation by ex-spouse, police cannot enforce decree-- looking to inform news source ?

Question

this has been ongoing for 3 months; we live 6 houses away from the ex-wife, my husband is ordered by court decree to every other weekend adn every other tues night thru thurs am......the child's mother refuses, adn when we call for police assistance, they refuse to enforce the decree or even allow the father to see the child on mom's premises in police presence (they claim it's a civil matter)...what is the sense of having a court order if police will not enforce it, or even right a report......i'm looking to contact either local or natinoal news centers to kind of expose the situatin (when i talked to the police supervisor he told me if they had to write a report for every refusal of visitation, they's drown in paperwork)-- does anyone know of a website or someone who might be interested in this human interest story?

Answer 1

Call your local newpaper or e-mail the story to a news station. As far as the police not enforcing the Court Order, you need to make a list of everytime you call and what they say. Tell them that it is your right to have a police report made. You need to take the ex back to court, she's in contempt of court. She's probably going to be fined for every occasion that she refused to let your husband see his kids or she'll have to do jail time. When you take her to court, show the judge the list of times she has not allowed the visitations and the list of the phone calls to police. Fight her on this, because she is in the wrong!

Answer 2

There is only one solution.

Get a lawyer and bring a civil case for full custody.

Answer 3

the only thing he can do is keep filing motions through the court that the mother is in contempt of the decree... they will come up with a way to enforce it, but the police will never be a part of it.. they want nothing to do with civil matters... and the police supervisor is right... there are far too many people who do not go by the rules.. but unfortunately, the only thing you can do is go throguh the courts...

ADD: and on top of it all, while no news team would be interested in this, because it is so common and no one cares about the custody issues of other people, you really dont want to get the kids involved in this... its really not fair to try and telethise something having to do with their lives!!!

Answer 4

sounds like you need to go back to court

Answer 5

This is a very big problem because it’s happened to us too. And it happens with lots of people. Really, in my opinion, all the “system” wants is to hold someone accountable financially, they could care less if we actually have rights to see the child we “pay for”. It’s really very sad because the kids are who suffer through this more than anyone.

All you can do really is document your little hearts out. Build a good report of all the times she’s refused visitation and take her back to court for contempt. And when you do, request all skipped visitation to be made up over a period of time. A judge won’t be happy that she’s refusing visitation and will most likely grant you guys to have all missed visitation made up.

As for bringing it to a news station or some sort of exposure…I wouldn’t really recommend it. Just because you don’t want to put the kids in the spotlight ya know? They’re already stuck in the middle of this, don’t make it a worldwide/national/local news story.

Best of luck to you guys!!

Answer 6

You probably will have to go back to court, document all the times she refuses court ordered visitation, and tell a judge again.  In Canada, the police would enforce this right away, however I guess it's different where you live, that sucks.

Answer 7

Don't be a clueless clown. No news organization is concerned. It's not news. Apparently everyone knows this but you (and no doubt a few prople who post their clueless guesses here). It's not a criminal matter. They're right. It's civil. The way you enforce a civil order is you go back to court asking the judge to hold him in contempt of the order, fine him, whatever, and tear him up to his face for violating it. (Pretty offensive to a judge, if you think about, to have your orders ignored.) You get a lawyer to do it for you, because I'd bet all I have that you can't come close to managing it on your own.  

Answer 8

You have to get a lawyer, and file contempt.

The news won`t care about some denied visitation. It`s done all the time.

Answer 9

This isnt unusual nowadays so you dont have some earth shaking news. You need to run her back into court for failure to comply with the divorce decree and let the Judge enforce the decree. Since this is a civil matter the police cant enforce it as it isnt criminal no matter what you think. Now if the Judge warns her and she still doesnt comply then the police may have to take action on breach of a court order and on direction from the Judge

Answer 10

Have your husband go down to court and file for full custody.  Good chance the judge will look upon him favorably since she would be held in contempt of court for violating the visitation order.

Answer 11

What needs to happen here is you husband needs to file contempt of court charges on ex wife.  He can go to the court house and et the papers and do them himself, no need to hire a lawyer.  A court date will be set and the judge will be the one who makes her not the police.  The police probably told her your husband can do this so more than likely knows whats going to happen.

Answer 12

Court would be the answer...Filing contempt on her for failure to follow court order...After a few times of this they can throw her in jail for that....

Answer 13

Talk to a lawyer and take her back to court with the intention of gaining custody

Answer 14

He needs to go back to court.  Document every time she does this, when the police are called, what they say, etc. and bring it to court.  Include names, dates, times.

I don't know if they'd be interested, but you can also check the websites for your local news stations.  Most of them now have a channel whatever to the rescue portion/human interest section.  Some stations allow you to send e-mail to specific broadcasters as well.

When you do this,  please be mindful of the children.  They are the ones most likely to be hurt in all of this.  This lady may be a royal pain, but to them she is still their mom.

Good luck.