Mid Week Visitation (Dinner) for Non-custodial Parent

Sounds to me like he called his lawyer and his lawyer said you weren't responsible for dropping her off.

Personally, I'd also call YOUR lawyer.

To me (not a lawyer) it sounds like the judge ordered a "ditto" of the other midweek visitation. Meaning that since the practice was for your x to pick up and drop off, that reasonably one could expect the same conditions to apply.

ALSO it might be handy for your lawyer through your x's lawyer to highlight the verbiage is MAX (as in "up to") of 4 hours, not "must be" or minimum of. Also that if your ex doesn't return your daughter BY 9pm (as in threatening to keep her overnight/ not returning her unless you come get her) that he would be violating the agreement. Which could get the whole thing struck.

So yah... talk to your lawyer.

it says returned.... i would call your lawyer.. and clarify that it has to say.. what time he is to pick her up.. tell the lawyer that he is giving you are hard time because you work.... my friends have this arrangement.. and he pick his daughter up from day care.. and he has her back at 8:45 or 9.. being any later would hurt her.... because she needs her sleep.. and yes it does say returned!!! so if he doesn't return her by 9... you can call the police... which you don't want to do.. but he would do the same thing to you... so i would tell him.. it says returned by 9.. and if he doesn't do this.. you will call the police... also tell him to pick her up from daycare or aftercare.. and have her do homeowrk with him..

Talk to your attorney. My feeling is that if he wants her, he should do the driving BOTH ways and have her home well before bedtime (so she can wind down, get into jammies, brush teeth, etc). If the wording says exactly what you quoted above, then it does look to me that he has to at least drop her off, which suggests he pick her up as well.

If it also says "UP TO four hours," this means any amount of time up to four hours (not exactly four or at least four hours), so anything from five minutes to three hours 59 minutes is acceptable.

Talk to your attorney to get everything clarified so everyone is on the same page. HTH-GL!!

Typically the visiting parent is responsible for transportation unless something different is spelled out...such as in long distant visitation where it is split.

It doesn't say he gets her for 4 hours but UP TO 4 hours and must be returned by 9 pm....to me that means home by 9 pm. In second grade, I would think she should be getting into bed by 9 pm. Since you don't get off until 5 PM, could you two work it our that he pick her up around 4:30 and have her home by 8:30 (or worse case you pick her up at 8:30 and have her home before 9).

being out till 9 or almost 9 is NOT appropriate on a school night for a second grader! twice a week! Ask the teacher if he/she noticed and if so to write a note saying she was tired in school the next day. Copy the note for father ( and judge if needed). Try talking to Dad explaining 9 is too late cuz you need to have an arrangement which doesnt interfere with her schooling. Maybe the father will be understanding and get into a routine once you iron out details If that doesnt work Tell the lawyer she is too tired and ask to have it changed to say no later than 8:00 (then you can easily deal if he is a few minutes late or the occasional special occasion. )

When my SS's were little we had a Wednesday night "dinner" like you...we were responsible for picking them up AND returning them. Weekend visits stated the receiving parent picks up kids...meaning on Friday when we were getting them we picked them up and on Sunday when she was getting them back she picked them up.

I must add, that once the kids were both in school we dropped the Wednesday because it was a hassle to get them, take them to dinner, then return them in any reasonable amount of time (with Hubby not getting off work til 6pm) and then add in homework and after school activities...it was just to much and didn't work well for any of us, kids especially!

My guess is, the EX will be responsible for both picking up and dropping back off.

Since it is not specific on the support order it is up to interpretation on both sides. But, I think anyone with a shred of common sense would realize that she should be returned to her home by 9pm. If you have a set of transportation guidelines, I would go with that until things are clarified.

What a jerk, sorry you have to go through this.

Don't make this harder than it is. Ask your lawyer what to do. If there is no set "language" in the court order and you work until later than he likes; he either picks her up or he sees her later. You can always pick her up at 9:00 p.m. if need be. Your "Ex" is an ex for a reason and I think we can all see why. God Bless.

We have a similart situation. We have stepson 2 nights during the week. As much as I disagree with the courts, and feel that each parent should drive one way, the courts in michigan have different thoughts. we asked one time, and we were told that the courts have an unspoken rule that the non custodial parent is responsible for the driving both ways. We can change it and list in the documents that driving is shared, but we know the mom is NEVER on time. Even when she says she will pick up her son from us, sometiems instead of 7.30 it's almost 9 before she gets him. For us, it's easier to just do the driving, and know he is home when he should be, and we aren't left in limbo all the time wondering when she will get him.

if there is transportation guidelines, those will be for ALL vistation, and not just weekends/overnights. And use it says returned by 9, but that can still mean that you ahve to get her. So read the transportation guidelines and speak to the lawyer or the courts. i can be fairly positive that the order isn't going to state anything about transportation unless you asked for it to.