established child custody issues in the school setting¡ legal custody vs. physical custody/care !...

Established 1926

[email protected]:@lynchdallaslaw

(319)365-9101

CHILDCUSTODYISSUESINTHE

SCHOOLSETTING

EmilyK.EllingsonLynchDallas,P.C.

February7,2017

OVERVIEW Established 1926

¡  GettingInvolvedinCourtHearings,Trials,Etc.¡  ReviewingCourtDocuments

!  LegalCustodyvs.PhysicalCustody/Care!  Guardianship!  ProtectiveOrders/NoContactOrders

¡  StudentResidency¡  AccesstoStudent¡  StudentRecords

GETTINGINVOLVEDINCOURTHEARINGS Established 1926

¡  Beingcalledtotestify/producedocuments!  SubpoenatoAppearandTestify!  SubpoenaDucesTecum(SubpoenatoProduce

Documents)!  MotiontoQuashSubpoena

! FERPArequiresPRIORnotificationtoparentbeforeproducingrecordspursuanttosubpoena.!  Canparentrequestrecordsasparentinsteadofusingsubpoena?


¡  Testifyingathearing,trial,etc.involvingbothparents.!  Questionstoaskpriortoagreeingtotestify:

! Whoiscallingschooldistrictofficialtotestify?!  Isthereasubpoena?! Whatisschoolofficial’sroleinstudent’seducation?

!  GeneralRule:Cantestifyaboutstudentandstudentrecords! Mayaskschooldistrictattorneyfortipsfortestifyingincourtifschoolofficialhasnevertestifiedbefore.


¡  Testifyingathearing,trial,etc.involvingparentandanotherparty(i.e.,step-parent).!  Questionstoaskpriortoagreeingtotestify:

! Whoiscallingschooldistrictofficialtotestify?!  Isthereasubpoena?! Whoconsentstoschooldistrictofficialtestifying(musthaveoneparent)?

! Whatisschoolofficial’sroleinstudent’seducation?!  GeneralRule:Cantestifyaboutstudentand

studentrecords,providedoneparentconsents.!  Ifnoparentalconsent,thenschoolofficialshouldappear,butislimitedinwhathe/shetestifiesabout.

REVIEWINGCOURTDOCUMENTS Established 1926

¡  Courtdocumentsfromanotherjurisdiction

¡  Initialdivorce(dissolutionofmarriage)actionvs.modificationaction!  Temporarymattersaction

¡  Marriedparentsvs.Unmarriedparents!  Establishingpaternity

¡  Specificprovisionrelatedtoeducationaldecisionvs.silentoneducationaldecisions


¡  Stipulationbetweenpartiesvs.DecreebyCourt


¡  LegalCustodyvs.PhysicalCustody/Care!  LegalCustody-anawardoftherightsoflegalcustody

ofaminorchildtoaparentunderwhichaparenthaslegalcustodialrightsandresponsibilitiestowardthechild.Rightsandresponsibilitiesoflegalcustodyincludebutarenotlimitedtodecisionmakingaffectingthechild'slegalstatus,medicalcare,education,extracurricularactivities,andreligiousinstruction.IowaCode§598.1(5).


¡  LegalCustodyvs.PhysicalCustody/Care!  Joint[Legal]Custody-anawardoflegalcustodyofa

minorchildtobothparentsjointlyunderwhichbothparentshavelegalcustodialrightsandresponsibilitiestowardthechildandunderwhichneitherparenthaslegalcustodialrightssuperiortothoseoftheotherparent.Rightsandresponsibilitiesofjointlegalcustodyincludebutarenotlimitedtoequalparticipationindecisionsaffectingthechild'slegalstatus,medicalcare,education,extracurricularactivities,andreligiousinstruction.IowaCode§598.1(3).


¡  LegalCustodyvs.PhysicalCustody/Care!  PhysicalCare-therightandresponsibilitytomaintain

ahomefortheminorchildandprovidefortheroutinecareofthechild.IowaCode§598.1(7).


¡  LegalCustodyvs.PhysicalCustody/Care!  JointPhysicalCare-anawardofphysicalcareofa

minorchildtobothjointlegalcustodialparentsunderwhichbothparentshaverightsandresponsibilitiestowardthechildincludingbutnotlimitedtosharedparentingtimewiththechild,maintaininghomesforthechild,providingroutinecareforthechildandunderwhichneitherparenthasphysicalcarerightssuperiortothoseoftheotherparent.IowaCode§598.1(4).!  Alsoknownas“sharedcare.”


¡  LegalCustodyvs.PhysicalCustody/Care


¡  Guardianship!  Guardian–a“personappointedbytheCourtto

havethecustodyofthepersonoftheward....”IowaCode§633.3(20).

!  ResponsibilitiesoftheGuardian:!  “providingforthecare,comfortandmaintenanceoftheward....”

!  “takingreasonablecareoftheward’sclothing,furniture,vehicleandotherpersonaleffects.”IowaCode§633.635.


¡  OtherRelevantCourtDocuments:!  DepartmentofHumanServices(DHS)cases

! ChildinNeedofAssistance(CINA)action.! TerminationofParentalRightsaction(IowaCodeChapter232.

!  ProtectiveOrders/NoContactOrders! Protectiveordersgenerallyexisttoprotectavictimofdomesticabuse.SeeIowaCodeChapter236.

! Nocontactordersexistincriminalcasestoprotectthevictimofacrimefrombeingcontactedbythecriminaldefendant.SeeIowaCodeChapter664A.


¡  Whatareaschooldistrict’sobligationsrelatedtoCourtdocuments?!  Enforcementvs.Compliance

¡  Alsoseetheupcomingtopics:!  StudentResidency!  AccesstoStudent!  StudentRecords

EXAMPLES Established 1926

¡  Example1:ParentAtellsschooldistrictthatheisnowthecustodialparentandistheonlypersonwhoshouldhaveaccesstoStudentA’srecords.IsParentAcorrect?

¡  Example2:ParentBtellsschooldistrictthatshewasnevermarriedtoStudentB’sfather.Therefore,FathershouldhavenorighttoseeStudentBandhasnorightstoStudentB’srecords.IsParentBcorrect?


¡  Example3:PersonCcomestotheschooldistrictrequestingaccesstoStudentC’sstudentrecords.PersonCprovidescourtdocumentssayingsheisStudentC’sguardian.CantheschooldistrictprovidePersonCStudentC’sstudentrecords?!  WhatifPersonCjusttoldtheschooldistrictthatshe

wasactingasguardiantoStudentCwhileStudentC’smotherwastravelingoverseasanddidnotproduceanycourtdocuments?

STUDENTRESIDENCY Established 1926

¡  ResidentStudent–achildwhoisphysicallypresentinadistrict,whoseresidencehasnotbeenestablishedinanotherdistrictbyoperationoflaw,andwho...[i]sinthedistrictforthepurposesofmakingahomeandnotsolelyforschoolpurposes.IowaCode§§282.1(2),282.6(1).

STUDENTRESIDENCY Established 1926

¡  Issue:Doesthestudent’sresidencyfollowthecourtdocuments?

¡  Issue:Whataboutresidencywithsharedphysicalcare?

¡  Issue:Whataboutcourtdocumentsspecifyingwhereastudentissupposedtoattendschool?

¡  Issue:Whatifastudent’sresidencyisdifferentthanwhatisstatedincourtdocuments?


¡  Example4:StudentDlivedwithMotherDandattendedSchoolDistrictDlastschoolyear.SchoolDistrictDlearnsthatStudentDlivedwithFatherDoverthesummer,andFatherDisenrollingStudentDinanotherschooldistrictforthisschoolyear.MotherDcomestoSchoolDistrictDandattemptstoenrollStudentDinSchoolDistrictD.WhatshouldSchoolDistrictDdo?!  WhatifCourtdocumentsgiveMotherDprimary

physicalcustody/care?!  WhatifCourtdocumentsgiveFatherDprimary

physicalcustody/care?

ACCESSTOSTUDENT Established 1926

¡  CustodialParentvs.Non-CustodialParent!  CustodialParent–theparentwithprimaryphysical

custody/careofthechild!  Non-CustodialParent–theparentwhodoesnot

haveprimaryphysicalcustody/careofthechild!  SharedCare–theparentshaveequalphysical

custody/careofthechild¡  Considereachparent’svisitationtimes(incourt

documents)¡  Protectiveorderinplace


¡  Situationsthatarise:!  Parentshowsupatschoolwantingtoseestudent

duringtheschoolday.!  Parentshowsupatschoolwantingtoremove

studentduringtheschoolday.!  Parentshowsupatschoolwantingtopickup

studentaftertheendoftheschoolday.!  Step-parentshowsupatschoolrequestinganyof

theabovesituations.


¡  Parentparticipatingin/attendingschoolactivities!  Privateactivitiesvs.publicevents(i.e.,lunchduring

theschooldayvs.choirconcert)!  Issue:Whatifaprotectiveorderisinplace?

¡  Districtalwayshascontroloverwhocanhaveaccesstoschoolgrounds.


¡  Example5:ParentEshowsupattheschoolbuildingdemandingtoseeStudentE.ThebuildingprincipalhasnevermetParentEbefore,buthehascourtdocumentsstatinghehasprimarycareofStudentE.Whatshouldtheschooldistrictdo?


¡  Example6:MotherFshowsupattheschoolbuildingdemandingtotakeStudentFwithher.ThebuildingprincipalhasnevermetMotherFbefore,butshehasvalidcourtdocumentsstatingshehasprimarycareofStudentFthatwereenteredbythecourtyesterday.TheschooldistrictcontactsFatherFwhodemandsthattheschooldistrictcontactthepolicebecauseMotherFshouldnothaveaccesstoStudentF.Whatshouldtheschooldistrictdo?


¡  Example7:FatherGshowsupattheschoolbuildingattheendoftheschooldaydemandingtotakeStudentGwithhim.ThebuildingprincipalhasnevermetFatherGbefore,buthehasvalidcourtdocumentsstatinghehasprimarycareofStudentG.TheschooldistrictcontactsMotherG,whodoesnotpickup.IntalkingwithStudentG,sheisnervoustogohomewithFatherGanddoesnotwanttodothis.Whatshouldtheschooldistrictdo?


¡  Example8:Step-parentHshowsupattheschoolbuildingsayingsheistheretopickupStudentHforFatherH.ThebuildingprincipalknowsthatthereisacontentiouscustodybattlegoingonbetweenFatherHandMotherH.Step-parentHisnotauthorizedtopickupStudentH.Whatshouldtheschooldistrictdo?


¡  Example9:ParentIcontactstheschooldistrictandsayshewantstocometoeachlunchwithStudentIonceperweekduringtheschoolday.Accordingtocourtdocuments,ParentIonlyhasvisitationeveryotherweekend.Whatshouldtheschooldistrictdo?


¡  Example10:MotherJcontactstheschooldistrictandsaysshewantstoattendStudentJ’s6thgradebasketballgame.MotherJandFatherJwereinvolvedinacontentiouscustodybattle,andthebuildingprincipalknowsthatMotherJdoesnothaveprimarycustody/careofStudentJ.Whatshouldtheschooldistrictdo?

STUDENTRECORDS Established 1926

¡  LegalCustodyvs.ParentalRights!  LegalCustody-anawardoftherightsoflegal

custodyofaminorchildtoaparentunderwhichaparenthaslegalcustodialrightsandresponsibilitiestowardthechild.Rightsandresponsibilitiesoflegalcustodyincludebutarenotlimitedtodecisionmakingaffectingthechild'slegalstatus,medicalcare,education,extracurricularactivities,andreligiousinstruction.IowaCode§598.1(5).

!  ParentalRights–existforeachlegalparentunlessterminatedviacourtproceedings(byotherparentorbyDHS)

STUDENTRECORDS Established 1926

¡  CustodialParentvs.Non-CustodialParent!  Iowacustodylawprovidingparentsrightstoaccess

educationalrecordsvs.!  FamilyEducationalRightsandPrivacyAct(FERPA)

providingparentsrightstoaccesseducationalrecords

!  Otherindividuals?¡  Righttoreceivevs.Righttoaccess¡  ProtectiveOrder(orothercourtdocument

limitingrighttoreceive/accessstudentrecords)inplace


¡  Example11:MotherKhassolelegalcustodyofStudentKaccordingtocourtdocumentstheschooldistricthasinitspossession.FatherKrequestsacopyofStudentK’sstudentrecords.Whatshouldtheschooldistrictdo?!  Whatifthereisaprovisioninthecourtdocuments

statingthatFatherKhasnorighttoaccessStudentK’sstudentrecords?


¡  Example12:FatherLrequeststhattheschooldistrictremoveMotherLfromtheschool’sofficialrecordsforStudentL.HeprovidesacourtdocumentstatingthathehassolelegalcustodyofStudentL.Whatshouldtheschooldistrictdo?!  WhatifFatherLdoesn’trequestthatMotherLbe

removedcompletely,butonlyrequeststhatMotherLnotreceiveanyofStudentL’srecordswhensherequeststhem?


¡  Example13:Step-motherM,whoismarriedtoFatherM,requestscopiesofStudentM’sstudentrecords.FatherMandMotherMhavejointlegalcustodyandsharedphysicalcare.Whatshouldtheschooldistrictdo?

RESOURCES Established 1926

¡  IowaCodecitations:https://www.legis.iowa.gov/law/iowaCode

¡  IowaDepartmentofEducationresidencychart:https://www.educateiowa.gov/resources/laws-and-regulations/legal-lessons/residency-issues

¡  IowaDepartmentofEducationstudentaccess/studentrecordschart:https://www.educateiowa.gov/custody-court-orders-and-requests-records-march-2013-school-leader-update-legal-lesson

QUESTIONS?

EmilyK.EllingsonLynchDallas,P.C.

(319)[email protected]