Custody: Emailed Agenda of Son and Daughter 29 NOV 21- Violating Custody Orders and Committing Contempt to Court

After a couple decides to split, separate or divorce, the custody battles become extremely painful even unbearable. Previously, it was posted that a former couple, Mr. Jones and Ms. Jones, was ordered to communicate -about their children- solely using Our Family Wizard (OFW) app. It was shared that Mr. Jones sent a message via OFW to inform Ms. Jones that someone from OFW would contact her and walk her through the process for her to have access. We explored some of the possible reasons in that post to make sense of why Mr. Jones had had chosen to message Ms. Jones on an app in which she didn't have access to. The message about OFW access was sent to Ms. Jones on 1 November, 2021. It was concluded that Mr. Jones wanted to comply with court decision and prevent further accusations of harassment by Ms. Jones however, OFW was the wrong platform to use for this particular message (To read the full post you can click on the link below: https://historicalmenwomenplaces.blogspot.com/2025/10/communication-via-ofw-1-best-way-to.html). 

The court adjourned on 28 October 2021 as stated on the previous post. The email below is a message sent by Mr. Jones to Ms. Jones two days after the first message was sent on OFW. Mr. Jones sent this new message to Ms. Jones' personal email account. Let's go over the email starting with the format. Mr. Jones was guided by his lawyer of the time to use this template for communication before the court reached a decision and ordered both parties to use the OFW app. 

The first part is the time stamp from the email and then Mr. Jones typed the dates of his visit with his children. He mistyped the 29 Oct as 9 Oct. We know it is mistyped because he corrected it in the next section.

On Wed, Nov 3, 2021 at 10:54 AM Mr. Jones wrote:

9 OCT Friday – 02 Tuesday NOV 21

In the next section Mr. Jones states, 

SOMETHING POSITIVE THAT HAPPENED WHILE THE CHILDREN WERE WITH ME

Friday, 29 October 2021 met children at post office completed and submitted passport renewal applications ensuring son and daughter's expired passports were submitted for renewal, We were very happy and excited to see each other

Saturday 30 October 2021, did Trunk or Treat events, took pictures, and ate a lot of candy in Aberdeen, Bel Air and Havre De Grace which featured a Hay ride, son and daughter had a great time and received a lot of candy. 

Sunday and Monday we played Singles and team matches Ping Pong in the Aberdeen Proving Ground guest house and … umm daughter beat daddy in Ping pong. Son got a haircut he really likes and is very happy with.

 

This is an indication of a good communication when this much detail is shared with the other parent and also is a sign of good co-parenting. However, we know that this former couple has a strained relationship. We know this because they had been ordered to use a court app to communicate with each other. 

That said, the last two brief paragraphs focus on the pleasant activities they participated together but the first paragraph seems to be out place. Mr. Jones states that they met in a post office and completed an application for their children's passports. Children's passports had been expired since 2018 and in 2019 Mr. Jones left the country with children's passports. He continuously refused to renew children's passport until 29 Oct 2021 court order. Clearly, the first statement is not for Ms. Jones because she was in the post office with them. Mr. Jones was documenting that he complied with the court order. However, since the passports were already submitted, this statement serves no purpose. 

ORDERED that Mr. Jones shall provide Ms. Jones with the children’s passports. Both parties shall fully cooperate in renewing the children’s passports and Ms. Jones shall retain possession of the children’s passports when the children are not otherwise traveling

The next section is generic about medical issues. Mr. Jones mentions there was a medicine son had to take and took it successfully.

MEDICAL ISSUES

No medical issues, 

Our son took all of his prescribed medication (Ferrous Sulfate (Iron Supplement).

The last dose taken at 0800 hours prior to breakfast on 02 Tuesday 2021

The next section points out to an effort by Mr. Y to document his claim of isolation,

SCHOOL RELATED ISSUES

N/A, November 01 – 02 - Monday and Tuesday – Parent Teacher conferences, Please ensure I am added to the emergency School contact list – Mr. Jones, CMR ...., Tel ..., email: ...

His reference to parent-teacher conferences show that he was informed of the conferences and manifest some interest in children's schooling. Since he was in town, these specific days, he could have attended the parent-teacher conferences. There is no mention of his attendance in this section. 

Mr. Jones adds that his wish to be added to the emergency school contact list. Emergency lists are consist of trusted family and friends and cannot be the parents. This statement makes very little to no sense.     

In the next sections there is not anything that stands out. 

REGULARLY SCHEDULED WEEKLY ACTIVITIES:

N/A

SIBLING/PEER RELATIONSHIPS

No change in relationships

BEHAVIOR

The diet 29 October 2021 – 02 Tuesday is good they had a great appetite and they ate their favorite foods, were very excited to be with daddy 29 OCT – 02 NOV, 

 On the day of departure, son and daughter were very sad. Daughter cried and stated she misses daddy, son asked when daddy will  return to Germany and when can he visit

We all stated we love each other, daddy comforted both … then .. drove home... missing them so much.

SCHEDULE CHANGE REQUEST

N/A

DISCIPLINE

N/A, No discipline issues

Although this was an unnecessary email, it was put together well for the most part. If Mr. Jones was trying to document a positive picture of his relationship with their children, he accomplished his goal in this email. However, there is one issue, he was ordered to use OFW to communicate with Ms. Jones for all communications about their children except during emergencies. This email had no indication of any kind of emergency. It is not clear what prompted Mr. Jones to sent an email about their children to Ms. Jones' personal email while a couple of days earlier he sent an email, unrelated to their children, via OFW. It is important to state only a judge can determine if an action is a contempt to court. However, this email is potentially a contempt to court. Although a well writing email, it is on the wrong platform thus Ms. Jones could have used it to sue Mr. Jones for a contempt to court.

On October 29, 2021 court ordered:

ORDERED that the parties shall both use the Close App (or the Our Family Wizard ("OFW") app should Mr. Jones pay for the costs for both parties to use the OFW app) for all non-emergency communications regarding the children. Additionally, the parties shall use the Office of Family Court Services "Email Protocol" as a basis for their communications in the Close or OFW apps.

Mr. Jones could have used this email as an opportunity to inform Ms. Jones about his purchase of OFW for both them. For unknown reasons, Mr. Jones didn't mention OFW and didn't use OFW. As advised before; before drafting an email to the other parent, determine the purpose of your email then choose the right platform. Is the email about your children or about an issue between you and the other parent? If it is about your children use OFW. If it is about something else, use other platforms. Always stay at point and no matter what or how you feel, at the moment, be clear and concise. 

Here is the million dollar question, if you were Ms. Jones, would you sue Mr. Jones for a contempt to court for violating the court order?