I was served at my daughter’s dance recital. Her father wants primary custody. His petition says I’ve moved her four times in three years and “destabilized her environment.” He attached my address history as proof. All four addresses are in the same school district. Two of them are the same building—I moved from unit 4 to unit 11 when the lease ended. His exhibit lists them as separate relocations.
She has been at one school since kindergarten. Same teachers, same friends, same bus route. The registrar wrote a letter confirming her continuous enrollment and attached the school’s attendance record. There wasn’t a single withdrawal, transfer, or enrollment change in the entire period he called “four moves.” My attorney filed everything with the court, including the lease showing that units 4 and 11 were in the same building.
At the hearing, the judge read the two unit numbers out loud. Then he looked up and asked my ex, “You’re counting a change of apartment number in the same building as a relocation?” My ex’s attorney said they were relying on the address history as provided. The judge asked whether they had checked the school records before filing the petition. They hadn’t. Then the judge asked my ex whether our daughter had ever changed schools during those three years. He said no.
My attorney then produced the complete address history alongside the leases, school enrollment records, and the dance studio registration showing the same address and emergency contact throughout. The judge reviewed everything for several minutes. Then he looked at my ex and asked why a child who had remained in the same school, same district, and same neighborhood had been described as having an unstable environment. My ex didn’t answer. The judge denied the request for primary custody—and ordered him to explain why his petition presented one apartment change as four separate moves.
