• FreeAdvice has a new Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, effective May 25, 2018.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our Terms of Service and use of cookies.

Does X-wife have any grounds?

Accident - Bankruptcy - Criminal Law / DUI - Business - Consumer - Employment - Family - Immigration - Real Estate - Tax - Traffic - Wills   Please click a topic or scroll down for more.

stepmom65

Member
What is the name of your state?California

Quick History. My husband has visitiation with the 2 children, 16, 9 yrs. 15 days a month, split 50/50 custody, physical and mental. Pays child support based on his income, visitation schedule and her maintaining a job. They are to share medical/dental expenses 50%.

Since the divorce degree was finalized (7 years ago), the kids have been attending school in their mother's county which is 25 miles from our home. (This was based on where the children where living before the divorce). For 2 weeks every month for 7 years, my husband has been driving the kids to school and picking them up after school, which is in the opposite direction of his job and our home, He works a 40-hour job, although is stays late because he's usually 2 hours behind his colleagues in attendance. This has not been a problem at all, agreed to this arrangement since he wants to keep his time with his kids. The problem is:

Our daughter has received her driver's license. My husband sees this as an opportunity for her to take herself and her brother back and forth to school on our weeks. This will allow him to be at work on time and home earlier. This also allows the children to be home doing their homework, etc and not sitting at a babysitter's until 8pm every night, which will also save him in Daycare money.

We bought her a used 1975 Ford Pickup truck, installed new tires, new brakes, had the engine, transmission, etc. checked and double-checked, installed new shoulder seatbealts, smogged it, licensed it, insured it, etc. The X has stated that she will not allow HER 9yr old to be in the truck, because she feels it's unsafe. She has never seen the truck, didn't participate in the purchase or maintenance of the truck, didn't offer any advise or opinion on what type of vehicle their daughter should drive, nothing, no communication, no interest, nothing. He tried to communicate with her but she continues to refuse to take his calls or respond to emails. She only contacts him when she wants to fight, which is quite often, never wants to address any of his calls or emails.

After we've spending a total of $4000 on making this a safe and reliable vehicle, she's decided that she didn't want him in the truck, because there is no backseat and he should be sitting in the backseat. Mind you, we've never seen the 9yr old in the backseat of her car, only the front... And we have another truck for 4 years with no back seat...No complaints from her there. Another one of her ploys to control our household. I believe that most states use the backseat rule as a guideline for children under 12 or a certain weight, but it's not a law..(correct me if I'm wrong, please) The 9yr old in question, is tall and husky for his age and weights 105 lbs.

Also, the daughter is not supervised by her mother on her days, stays out until well over 10:00pm on school days. As a result, my husband wants his daughter to only drive the vehicle on our 2 weeks for about 6 momths until he is comfortable with her driving full time. We feel that she is just lashing out, because she believes that their daughter should drive the vehicle whenever the daughter wants, and by not letting her drive on her mother's days, makes her mother look bad. (the X actually told him this).

Question: If she takes this to court, what are the chances of a judge seeing this her way???
 


Well that's a lot but one thing I can tell you for sure about the back seat rule (at least in my state) was in plsce b/c typically it is safer but in AZ you have a lot of trucks so they continued the rule due to most vehicles being equipped with air bags. Our 99 truck has a key turn off for the passenger air bag and therefore it is not an issue (trust me when I say the ex tried to make it an issue) I would doubt that a 75 truck has one and therefore is not an issue. The general rule is if the child can sit with their lower back touching the back of the seat and the knees can bend over the edge of the seat then all is good. But I do see a problem with your husbands rule of okay for 2 weeks a month you can drive my most precious cargo (herself and her brother) 50 miles a day (at least) but for 2 weeks a month (coincidentally the same time you are at moms) you are not responsible enough to drive at all? That sounds like control. (I know he has his reasons but can he prove them in Court? Her not being watched etc? and IF you trust her enough to drive to and from school 25 miles each day with the brother than why not trust her to also be responsible there? She will be out of sight for that drive?) I don't know if she will succeed in her plight but your husband will probably succeed in looking like the controlling one. Good Luck.
 

stepmom65

Member
Does the X-Wife have any grounds

California

Thanks for your quick reply. We have ongoing issues with her. She's the scorned x-wife and my husband will pay dearly for leaving her...At least that's her thinking....she's tried everything to make me leave him, etc..., make our lives miserable. We're just now learning to not react. I just wanted to know if she had grounds to prevent their son from riding in the truck with his sister driving. She's just blowing off steam, because the courts just informed her that she owes him $1000, in unpaid medical bills.
 
No prob and as a "new wife" to a husband that was formaly married to the spawn of satan I understand your pain, more than you know. Just keep fighting the good fight and like you said don't react people like that THRIVE on attention when they don't get it often they'll go harass some one who will give it. Good Luck to you and yours!
 

Find the Right Lawyer for Your Legal Issue!

Fast, Free, and Confidential
data-ad-format="auto">
Top