Transportation and Flight costs

[Scorpio0823]

Jurisdiction

Pennsylvania

Does anyone have a situation where the non custodial parent that moved takes care of travel expenses?
It baffles my mind that a parent decides to leave the state then tells the custodial parent that they now have to pay for plane tickets to get them there and back to visit. Now this non custodial parent has a horrible track record with lying on why they were moving and trying to just take the child down without doing the proper procedures. Actually lied to the courts about it.
But my thing is. It is a huge financial hardship to try and afford plane tickets and take care of the child fulltime with $200 a month in child support that MIGHT get paid. And not to mention driving to the airport there and back alone costs 60-80 with gas, tolls, parking. Then you have to find a plane ticket AND pay a unaccompanied fee since the child cannot fly alone which is averaging about $200-$400 each flight. Its insane.

Our lawyer states that if there is nothing in the stip about transportation it falls on the parent that left.
Are we allowed to tell the non custodial that they MUST have a ROUND TRIP ticket itinerary to us before the child leaves? Not a one way then decide not to send child home? We are willing to HELP but not pay all travel expenses.

 

[mightymoose]

You are only obligated to do what is in your current order.
The parent who moved and requires a change in the order will need to seek a modification. Until then keep the children available at the appropriate times and locations per the existing order. If the other parent doesn't show up just keep a written record of it and any communications.
If the other parent gets the children and dis not return then you can make a report to law enforcement and show a copy of the court order. They should assist.
Check your current order for any language about removing the children from the state. There may be language in there that indicates your consent is needed or that it is simply not allowed. If this is the case you don't have to do much of anything until a court sorts out a new order.
Also, although the parent who moved is the one requiring the modification, there us no reason you can't begin the process yourself.

 

[Scorpio0823]

There is nothing on transportation. The child has to fly. There is no meeting or anything. Custodial parent wants to modify the order since the non custodial doesn't want to help get the child home. Custodial helped the non custodial get child to them but does not want to help child get back. Non custodial parent is not being reasonable and is claiming they can keep the child if custodial doesn't get child home. Custodail tried to do 50/50 with non and they would not. They did to get child down there but then didn't to get child back.

 

[mightymoose]

If it were me I would either buy the ticket or drive to get my kids. I would then immediately seek a modification and get a temporary order requiring the kids to remain in the state, if not the county.
A subsequent order would most likely put travel costs on the parent who moved, or at least devise a plan that nobody will be happy with.

 

[Scorpio0823]

Yeah. Custodial has no problem helping. It's the lying and the sneaky behavior that's the problem of the non custodial and not be reasonable. Noncust likes to do anything out of spite since they lost custody. Noncustodial will say they need help to get child to them since they have to pay child support that week then custodial does and then there's no child support for months at a time. And then noncustodial doesn't help get child home so custodial has to buy a ticket.

 

[army judge]

Yeah. Custodial has no problem helping. It's the lying and the sneaky behavior that's the problem of the non custodial and not be reasonable. Noncust likes to do anything out of spite since they lost custody. Noncustodial will say they need help to get child to them since they have to pay child support that week then custodial does and then there's no child support for months at a time. And then noncustodial doesn't help get child home so custodial has to buy a ticket.

In the future, if she asks to violate the order for ANY reason, simply say, "Sorry, we will always obey the court order. If you can't do that, we won't help you disobey the order. We will document your disobedience, and when we all return to court one day, we'll simply tell the truth."