Parents deny grandparents visitation, then ordered to pay.

Spencer v. Vaughn, 2008- First child is born to mother and father. Second child is born to same mother and second father. After the second marriage and child, the maternal grandparents filed suit for access to their grandchildren. They were granted limited visitation. After the order was signed, the mother and second father took the children and moved them out of the state without informing the maternal grandparents. After being located, the parents refused the grandparents’ visitation rights. Two years later, the mother and second husband took the children and moved them back to the original state, again without telling the maternal grandparents. Three years later, the grandparents filed another suit for contempt and interference with possessory rights, the father of the first child also filed for suit to modify custody.

Trial court sided with the maternal grandparents and the first father. The grandparents were given increased visitation rights, the mother and second father were ordered to pay them $50,000 in fees and the court ordered counseling as well. The first father was given primary custody of the first child and also received $50,000 in fees from th mother and second husband.