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Contact orders - how detailed are yours?

4 replies

Dixie20 · 26/04/2019 00:19

I am the resident parent and my ex has a contact order. He sees them 3 out of 4 weekends and holidays. All his additional holiday contact is detailed in the court order, however as it is a contact order there is no holiday contact detailed for me. He assumes the weekend contact still runs on during the holidays for Christmas and Easter? For example last year he was allocated Easter weekend and this year the weekend after Easter (plus additional midweek days). However he tried to say that the normal weekend contact still runs and wanted the kids on the weekend that should have been my Easter weekend. I kept them all of Easter weekend as he is having them this weekend. It has always been a wknd each over Easter rotated. His solicitor has wrote to me threatening contempt of court.
I want to return to court to get a more detailed order as this is continually happening. I don't even have any summer holidays allocated to me. For the resident parent how are their holidays incorporated into a contact order?
Can anyone give examples of what other things I could ask for in the order? The kids are involved in sports, for example DD goes to dancing she (midweek), she would have 3 events per year she would need to attend. It that something that can be put in the order? I have tried to select sports that require the least level of commitment as exp is not supportive.

I currently am self representing as I have previous legal bills to pay off and exp appears to have a wealth of income as he forwards everything I send to his solicitor and never bothers responding himself.
The contact order is slim and lacks clarity and is open to interpretation by exp to whatever suits him.
Any examples of how a resident parent's holidays are detailed and any other useful pointers would be appreciated. Thanks

OP posts:
turquoiserules · 26/04/2019 09:26

I'll pm you Dixie

Dixie20 · 27/04/2019 02:14

Thanks turquoiserules

OP posts:
JustAnotherLawyer · 27/04/2019 14:02

In general, the expectation is that term time contact is suspended during holiday periods and the holiday contact arrangements take precedence. If it's not specified, the court clearly expected the two of you to be sensible and arrange it between yourselves. If you can't do that, then you'll need to apply to the court for a variation.

You could ask for an order in the following terms and state that you think it would be more workable than your current arrangements.

Alternate weekends, Friday after school to Sunday evening (or Monday morning if you prefer - return to school), plus one night a week in the alternate week.

School holidays to be shared 50/50. Or in the specified weeks that each working parent can manage. Term time contact suspended during school holidays in favour of holiday arrangements.

Easter and Christmas to alternate (e.g. you have them Christmas on even years and Easter on odd years and him the opposite).

Mother's Day with Mother.

Father's Day with Father.

Children's birthdays to be shared on an alternate year basis - or for each parent to have some allocated time on the children's birthdays.

Any other contact as agreed between the parties.

Dixie20 · 27/04/2019 16:28

Thanks for your advice

OP posts:
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