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long distant visitation

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Becktall

Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? OHIO

i live 568 miles away from my three children and ex wife. our divorce decree is finalized in trumbull county ohio. i live in illinois, our long distance visitation states that parents shall meet 1/2 way for visitation during holidays and summer visits or the parents split travel expenses. however i have travelled round trip nine times and paid for this on my own. what is the chances of me taking my ex wife who is custodial parent to court to get reimbursed for travel expenses? due to her saying Im the one who moved away and this is the consequences? attorney fees are $250/hour cost of travel she owes is roughly $910.00. or should i just suck it up and be thankful i get to see the children when i do?

Thanks.
 


Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? OHIO

i live 568 miles away from my three children and ex wife. our divorce decree is finalized in trumbull county ohio. i live in illinois, our long distance visitation states that parents shall meet 1/2 way for visitation during holidays and summer visits or the parents split travel expenses. however i have travelled round trip nine times and paid for this on my own. what is the chances of me taking my ex wife who is custodial parent to court to get reimbursed for travel expenses? due to her saying Im the one who moved away and this is the consequences? attorney fees are $250/hour cost of travel she owes is roughly $910.00. or should i just suck it up and be thankful i get to see the children when i do?

Thanks.
Have you sent her an actual demand (request) for payment with backup showing your costs?
 

Becktall

Member
Have you sent her an actual demand (request) for payment with backup showing your costs?

yes there is a form i submit via certified mail with copies of printed gas receipts and toll receipts. after each trip.
 
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Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
Then it really is up to you to decide if it's worth your time to file for contempt in Ohio at this point.
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
yes there is a form i submit via certified mail with copies of printed gas receipts and toll receipts. after each trip.
I'd also like to point out that this was not the answer I expected. Kudos to you for "doing it right".
 

Becktall

Member
Have you sent her an actual demand (request) for payment with backup showing your costs?
I'd also like to point out that this was not the answer I expected. Kudos to you for "doing it right".
thanks, its very difficult sometimes to do "the right thing" i do the same with Medical bills i pay for the children after they have not been paid by the legal custodial parent and then added to my credit report. i submit the "explanation of health care bills" form, to her on a monthly basis. but yet have any reimbursement from her at all at this time. we have been divorced for just over one year. its hard though cuz the amounts just add up, plus paying the support on top of it makes it more difficult.
 

LdiJ

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? OHIO

i live 568 miles away from my three children and ex wife. our divorce decree is finalized in trumbull county ohio. i live in illinois, our long distance visitation states that parents shall meet 1/2 way for visitation during holidays and summer visits or the parents split travel expenses. however i have travelled round trip nine times and paid for this on my own. what is the chances of me taking my ex wife who is custodial parent to court to get reimbursed for travel expenses? due to her saying Im the one who moved away and this is the consequences? attorney fees are $250/hour cost of travel she owes is roughly $910.00. or should i just suck it up and be thankful i get to see the children when i do?

Thanks.
She is both right and wrong. She is right in that normally its the responsibility of the parent who moved and created the distance to be responsible for the travel costs associated with their parenting time. Why should the parent who didn't move have to bear any financial responsibility for the other parent's choices?

She is wrong however in that your orders do state that she is supposed to meet you half way. Therefore you do have the right to take her to court for contempt. Either she agreed to that when she signed the divorce paperwork or the judge decided that in your case you should meet half way.
 

Becktall

Member
the judge decided that in your case you should meet half way.

The Judge ruled that we stick to the "standard long distant visitation" due to the fact that i lived out of the area for over 6 months before our divorce was finalized.
 

LdiJ

Senior Member
The Judge ruled that we stick to the "standard long distant visitation" due to the fact that i lived out of the area for over 6 months before our divorce was finalized.
Standard long distance visitation as far as timeshare is concerned makes total sense. However, are you saying that the judge just ordered you to do the standard long distance visitation for the county where the divorce took place but did not specifically address transportation? If that is the case, the advice you have received so far might not be accurate.
 

Becktall

Member
Standard long distance visitation as far as timeshare is concerned makes total sense. However, are you saying that the judge just ordered you to do the standard long distance visitation for the county where the divorce took place but did not specifically address transportation? If that is the case, the advice you have received so far might not be accurate.
Here is a copy of the visitation Documentation with my Decree.

C. Relocation and Long Distance Guidelines
1. The Court recognizes that parents may chose to reside some distance apart from each other for a
variety of reasons. When travel distance is more than three hours travel time for the child one way
from home to home, the Long Distance Guidelines apply unless the parties agree otherwise.
2. Prior to any relocation, the moving parent shall file a Notice of Intent to Relocate.
3. Christmas/Winter break and Spring break shall be the same as Section 8 (c) and (d) above.
5. The non-residential parent shall have reasonable companionship time with the child/ren when that
parent is in the vicinity of the residential parent with 14 days notice.
6. Summer - If travel distance and cost is not prohibitive:
a. The child will be with the residential parent from the end of the school year until the
following Sunday.
b. The child/ren will return to the residential parent on the Friday prior to commencement of
the school year.
c. The intervening weeks shall be divided equally by the parties in blocks of time as they agree
depending on the travel requirements.
d. If the parties cannot agree, the child/ren will spend uninterrupted two week blocks with each
parent starting with the non-residential parent on the Sunday following the end of the school
year.
7. Summer - If travel time is too prohibitive:
a. The summer shall be divided into two blocks of time with parents alternating blocks of time
from one year to the next.
b. The first block shall begin the first Sunday at 6:00 p.m. after school is out for the year and
will end on July 15 at 9:00 a.m.
c. The second block shall begin July 15 at 9:00 a.m. and shall end the last Friday at 6:00 p.m.
before school begins.
8. The parties shall share equally the responsibility and cost of transportation.
4
9. Parents shall encourage at least three weekly telephone calls. Frequency and duration of calls
will be based upon the child/ren’s desires, as well as parents’ requests and will remain private. Use of
video calling technology is encouraged whenever possible.
 

Ohiogal

Queen Bee
thanks, its very difficult sometimes to do "the right thing" i do the same with Medical bills i pay for the children after they have not been paid by the legal custodial parent and then added to my credit report. i submit the "explanation of health care bills" form, to her on a monthly basis. but yet have any reimbursement from her at all at this time. we have been divorced for just over one year. its hard though cuz the amounts just add up, plus paying the support on top of it makes it more difficult.
EOBs are NOT bills and therefore they do not count as demands. You have to submit the actual BILLS and, if you want her to reimburse you, proof that you paid the whole thing.
 

Becktall

Member
EOBs are NOT bills and therefore they do not count as demands. You have to submit the actual BILLS and, if you want her to reimburse you, proof that you paid the whole thing.

correct, i did not state that. I do include copies of the bills and copies of bank statements showing payment or copy of checks used to pay.
 

LdiJ

Senior Member
Here is a copy of the visitation Documentation with my Decree.

C. Relocation and Long Distance Guidelines
1. The Court recognizes that parents may chose to reside some distance apart from each other for a
variety of reasons. When travel distance is more than three hours travel time for the child one way
from home to home, the Long Distance Guidelines apply unless the parties agree otherwise.
2. Prior to any relocation, the moving parent shall file a Notice of Intent to Relocate.
3. Christmas/Winter break and Spring break shall be the same as Section 8 (c) and (d) above.
5. The non-residential parent shall have reasonable companionship time with the child/ren when that
parent is in the vicinity of the residential parent with 14 days notice.
6. Summer - If travel distance and cost is not prohibitive:
a. The child will be with the residential parent from the end of the school year until the
following Sunday.
b. The child/ren will return to the residential parent on the Friday prior to commencement of
the school year.
c. The intervening weeks shall be divided equally by the parties in blocks of time as they agree
depending on the travel requirements.
d. If the parties cannot agree, the child/ren will spend uninterrupted two week blocks with each
parent starting with the non-residential parent on the Sunday following the end of the school
year.
7. Summer - If travel time is too prohibitive:
a. The summer shall be divided into two blocks of time with parents alternating blocks of time
from one year to the next.
b. The first block shall begin the first Sunday at 6:00 p.m. after school is out for the year and
will end on July 15 at 9:00 a.m.
c. The second block shall begin July 15 at 9:00 a.m. and shall end the last Friday at 6:00 p.m.
before school begins.
8. The parties shall share equally the responsibility and cost of transportation.
4
9. Parents shall encourage at least three weekly telephone calls. Frequency and duration of calls
will be based upon the child/ren’s desires, as well as parents’ requests and will remain private. Use of
video calling technology is encouraged whenever possible.
I do not think that its a slam dunk for you getting mom held in contempt...because she certainly can argue that she cannot afford to be financially responsible for your choices. However, I do not think that its a slam dunk for her either.
 

Becktall

Member
I do not think that its a slam dunk for you getting mom held in contempt...because she certainly can argue that she cannot afford to be financially responsible for your choices. However, I do not think that its a slam dunk for her either.
thank you for your advice and input.
 

CTU

Meddlesome Priestess
I do not think that its a slam dunk for you getting mom held in contempt...because she certainly can argue that she cannot afford to be financially responsible for your choices. However, I do not think that its a slam dunk for her either.
I agree. I also think there's a good chance Mom is going to ask that Dad be responsible for all travel costs (though I'm not willing to speculate on her reasoning this far out from when the order was first made).
 

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