Jake is a 42-year-old father, husband, military veteran, and survivor of domestic violence. Living with PTSD and anxiety, stability and consistency are especially important to Jake, particularly when it comes to spending time with his children.
After divorcing several years ago, Jake found himself locked in an ongoing and highly contentious custody and visitation dispute with his former partner. Although court orders were in place, his former partner repeatedly interfered with his court-ordered visitation, often refusing to show up for exchanges or intentionally enrolling their children in activities that directly conflicted with Jake’s parenting time, without consulting him. Over time, Jake missed multiple visits with his son, despite documenting his presence at the exchange location and even filing police reports when his former partner failed to appear.
The situation took an emotional toll. Jake worried history would repeat itself; he had already experienced years of being kept from his older child (whom he also shares with his former partner but has already turned 18 years old) under similar circumstances. The stress of repeated visitation interference worsened his PTSD and anxiety, and the conflict surrounding exchanges, sometimes involving verbal harassment from his former partner’s spouse, left Jake feeling powerless and overwhelmed.
That’s when Jake reached out to Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) for help.
LSLA attorney Cheranda Robertson stepped in to enforce Jake’s court-ordered visitation rights. She helped him bring his case before the court, carefully documenting the missed exchanges, the lack of cooperation, and the impact the situation was having on Jake and his family. Robertson advocated Jake’s right to consistent access and possession, ensuring the court understood the pattern of interference and the harm it caused.
As a result of LSLA’s representation, the court ruled in Jake’s favor and ordered make-up visitation time, enforcing his right to be present in his son’s life. The decision preserved Jake’s parenting time and gave him a clear legal remedy when visitation is denied.
For Jake, the outcome meant more than a court order; it meant peace of mind and the chance to rebuild stability for himself and his children. With LSLA’s help, he can now focus on being a father first, without constantly fearing that his time with his child will be taken away.
*Name(s) changed to protect the identity of the client.