Former “Gossip Girl” star Kelly Rutherford’s custody story has garnered national news. Most people are puzzled by a California court’s decision to grant Rutherford’s former husband primary custody of the couple’s two children because his visa was revoked. Others may be troubled by the fact that a father was granted primary custody.
Regardless, the decisions appear to be wearing on Rutherford; especially this month when she was supposed to bring the children back to Monaco after a summer visit. Rutherford publicly voiced her frustrations with the courts and vowed to not bring the children back. This prompted the Monaco court to order the children be returned, and would have led to the U.S. Department of State being involved if the order needed to be enforced.
Rutherford eventually capitulated and complied with the order; but the act of defying it should serve as a cautionary tale for those who are frustrated with a court’s order. It is not uncommon for courts to look at past behavior as a predictor of future behavior. In essence, a court could make custody and parenting time decisions based on the likelihood of a parent following a court order.
With that said, it is incredibly important to follow a court order, regardless of what your personal feelings may be. If you genuinely feel that the order is not working or is unfair, there are ways to have the order modified. This is where an experienced family law attorney can be of great assistance.
The preceding is not legal advice.