You represented Courtney Peterson in her divorce three years ago. Her final hearing was at the Orange County (Florida) courthouse and the final judgment was entered on January 15, 2017 (Case No.: 2017-DR-000000-O). At the time of the divorce, Courtney and her husband, George Peterson, had a harmonious co-parenting relationship. The children were thriving under the care of both parents. The Parenting Plan entered with the final judgment states that Courtney and George would have “shared parental responsibility” of the two minor children, Zoe and Chloe both born on January 1, 2014.
Courtney called you today because she needs your help.
She says George became a member of the Church of Vorgon six months ago. Around that period, after spending time with George, Zoe and Chloe started having nightmares, cry when separated from her, and their usual good grades in the A/B range plummeted to a C/D range. Their teachers have reported that the girls seem to be in a near-constant state of fright and continually scan the entry points into the room. Courtney has since taken the girls to a psychologist who has diagnosed them with anxiety resulting from the Book of Vorgon stories George reads the girls. In George’s religion, Vorgon takes children away in a space ship to live on the moon to create the new civilization, Vorgonia. To George, Vorgon taking his children would be the highest honor, nearly ensuring Church of Vorgon celebrity status for him and the girls. For the girls, it’s a different story. They now believe, as a result of George’s proselytizing, that every day of their lives Vorgon could make a visit to them and they would never see their parents again. They are terrified they could end up living on the moon.
Courtney says that George’s recently-adopted religious beliefs are harmful to the children. She wants ultimate authority over the children’s religious upbringing and she wants the Court to stop George from talking about his beliefs to the girls and taking them to his church.
Draft a Supplemental Petition to Modify Parental Responsibility
- Make sure to select the correct court and include a case style/caption.
- Make sure to title your Petition appropriately.
- Include the specific portions of the relevant Florida statutes and applicable facts provided above that provide the basis for your Petition to Modify Parental Responsibility (i.e., why you can ask the Court to address this).
- You can make up a name, address, and bar number for the attorney signature block
- George Peterson’s address is 1122 Moon Rock Lane, Orlando, FL 32801
Draft a Letter to Courtney Peterson
- Courtney Peterson resides at 3344 Laughing Lane, Orlando, FL 32801
- Explain to her what the probable outcome might be on her Petition based upon what the various Florida cases and Florida statutes say.
- Explain that you are including the Petition for her review. Invite her to ask questions about the Petition so you can answer them prior to filing. If she has no questions, request that she respond to you in writing giving you authority to file the Petition on her behalf.
