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BRUCE D. PALMER, I IN THE COURT OF COMMON
Plaintiff ) PLEAS OF CUMBERLAND
) COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
I
vs. ) CIVIL ACTION - LAW
) No.'(7- 2.%>qS
MELANIE A. PALMER, I
Defendant I IN CUSTODY
ORDER OF COURT
AND NOW this
day of
, 1997, upon consideration of the
attached Petition for Emergency Relief, we hereby order and direct as follows:
1. The Plaintiff, Bruce D. Palmer, is hereby awarded full legal and physical custody
of the two minor children, Lindsey A. Palmer, born October 18, 1980, and Jillian R. Palmer, I
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born August 21, 1985.
2. Any person having the said Jillian R. Palmer in their custody or control, or
otherwise having the ability to deliver the child to the Plaintiff, including all police officers
and law enforcement officers into whose possession a copy of this order is delivered, are
hereby ordered to deliver custody of the child, Jillian R. Palmer, to the Plaintiff, Bruce D.
Palmer, as promptly as possible.
3.
We make no order for temporary or partial custody or visitation with the
children for the Defendant, Melanie A. Palmer, at this time. We will modify this order as
appropriate, and if appropriate, upon the request of the said Melanie A. Palmer for time
with the children.
BY THE COURT,
J.
,
4. On Sunday, 25 May 1997, without the prior knowledge or consent of Plaintiff
or either of the children, Defendant and her boyfriend removed the younger child, Jillian R.
Palmer, from the home of a friend and playmate, against the child's will.
5. Since removing the child from the playmate's home, the Defendant and persons
unknown to Plaintiff have kept the child, Jillian, away from Plaintiff and har sister, the
parties' 16 year old daughter, Lindsey. Moreover, since physically taking the child from her
playmate's home and from the proper custody of Plaintiff, Defendant has committed the
following other acts toward or with regard to the child:
A. She has prevented the child from communicating with Plaintiff and
the other daughter, Lindsey. The child routinely spoke to Plaintiff by
telephone on an almost daily basis and the Plaintiff has not heard or had any
communication from the child since 25 May 1997.
B. The Defendant has not returned to her home at 6 Cedar Court in
East Pennsboro Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, and has
concealed her whereabouts from Plaintiff and the parties' older daughter,
Lindsey.
C. The Defendant has kept Jillian out of school at the East Pennsboro
school which she had been attending prior to her removal by the Defendant.
D. The Defendant has not been present at her place of employment for
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
vs.
)
)
)
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)
)
IN THE COURT OF COMMON
PLEAS OF CUMBERLAND
COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA
CIVIL ACTION - LAW
NO. (1')- ~Y'5 c?~/ ~"" i
IN CUSTODY
BRUCE D. PALMER,
Plaintiff
MELANIE A. PALMER,
Defendant
ORDER OF COURT
AND NOW, 616 1991, upon consideration of the attached complaint, it is
hereby directed that the parties and their respective counsel appear before
!hhtl R,.,~ , Esquire, the conciliator, at }o '). ~. 19f( 41~f + en "'! H,'/(
, Pennsylvania, on Ihs:,rh--j the ,'\ day of \ )-...J \-.....1 , 1997, at
"""""-t I
9:00 o'clockO.m., for a Pre-Hearing Custody Conference. At such conference, an
effort will be made to resolve the issues in dispute; or if this cannot be accomplished, to
define and narrow the issues to be heard by the court, and to enter into a temporary order.
Either party may bring the child who is the subject of this custody action to the conference,
but the children's attendance is not mandatory. Failure to appear at the conference may
provide grounds for entry of a temporary or permanent order.
FOR THE COURT,
~ /, I p;/
By4!uJ (7.., &/Z1jtf1 I bf' (!/If)
, CtiStody Conciliator
YOU SHOULD TAKE THIS PAPER TO YOUR LAWYER AT ONCE. IF YOU DO NOT
HAVE A LAWYER OR CANNOT AFFORD ONE, GO TO OR TELEPHONE THE OFFICE SET
FORTH BELOW TO FIND OUT WHERE YOU CAN GET LEGAL HELP.
OFFICE OF THE COURT ADMINISTRATOR
COURTHOUSE, 4TH FLOOR
CARLISLE, PA 17013
(717) 240-6200
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2. A Conciliation Conference was held on May 6, 1997, and the following
individuals were present: the Mother and her attorney, Kathleen Carey Daley,
Esquire; the Father appeared with his attorney, Samuel L. Andes, Esquire.
3. Items resolved by agreement: None
4. Issues yet to be resolved: An ultimate custodial arrangement for the
children.
5. The Plaintiff's position on custody is as follows: Mother acknowledges
that there is an estrangement occurring with her oldest daughter, Lindsey, who is
sixteen years of age. Lindsey, after a recent confrontation with her mother, left
and is living with Father. Lindsey has indicated to her Mother that she does not
want to see her at this time. Mother acknowledges the need for involvement of a
psychologist and has agreed to participate in an evaluation in this case.
Pending the completion of the evaluation, Mother suggested that the
arrangement be continued whereby Lindsey is staying primarily with the Father and
Jillian remains primarily with her, and that the girls be together with each parent on
the weekends. She is concerned that Lindsey's strong feelings against her at this
time will be transferred to Jillian and that that will result in a poisoning of the
relationship she has with Jillian at this time. She also expressed some reservations
as to the Father's living arrangement as it relates to supervision over the girls if
they are living with him primarily.
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6. The Defendant's position on custody is as follows: Father indicated that
Lindsey has expressed a strong desire to him to stay with him and does not want
to see her Mother because of the recent episodes. He also indicated that Jillian has
expressed a desire to live with him as well. He has agreed to participate in a
custody evaluation to try to come up with a solution to the problem at this time.
Pending the completion of the evaluation, Father's suggestion was that they
go on a week-on, week-off schedule so essentially the children are together at all
times, but in each other's household. He acknowledges the fact, however, that
Lindsey will not go over and live with Mother at this point so that the week-on,
week-off arrangement will essentially be that the youngest daughter, Jillian, is
going back between households until the relationship can be repaired with Lindsey
and her Mother.
7. Need for separate counsel to represent child(ren): Neither party
requested.
8. Need for independent psychological evaluation or counseling: The parties
agree that they shall participate in a custody evaluation to be performed by Arnold
K. Shienvold, Ph.D.
9. A hearing in this matter will take one day.
10. Other matters or comments: An Emergency Order was entered in this
case dated May 30, 1997, following emergency petitions filed by both parties. The
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Order granted temporary physical custody of the oldest child, Lindsey, to Father,
and temporary physical custody of the youngest daughter, Jillian, to Mother. The
parties were unable to make arrangements for a temporary order pending the
completion of the evaluation or ultimate custody hearing. Attached to this Report
is a copy of that Order.
The Conciliator spoke with both girls to try to get some insight as to what is
occurring and to come up with a temporary resolution of the case. Upon speaking
with Lindsey, it became clear that she has a significant estrangement with her
Mother but is willing to re-establish a relationship with her. Lindsey's main goal
seems to be that she wants to spend as much time with her younger sister, Jillian.
It is apparent that the two girls are very close and that they find comfort in each
other during these stressful times. Lindsey agreed with the Conciliator that she
would re-establish a contact with Mother, but only on an alternating weekend
schedule and provided that Mother's boyfriend is not present. Therefore, as far as
Lindsey is concerned, an appropriate custodial arrangement for the time being,
pending the involvement of the psychologist, would be for Lindsey to be with her
Mother on an alternating weekend basis. Mother must make sure that that time is
used to re-establish her relationship with her daughter and not include her boyfriend
being present.
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Jillian, on the other hand, wants to see both parents. Again, as is the case
with her older sister, her strongest desire is to make sure that she sees her older
sister, Lindsey, as much as possible. Jillian receives a tremendous amount of
support from Lindsey and it is important that they be together as much as possible
during this time. Jillian expressed some reservations about Mother's boyfriend, but
not to the degree that she was adamant that he not be present. She indicated that
the boyfriend "interferes" with her time with her mother, and that she does not get
along with the boyfriend's two sons, ages 14 and 10. It was very clear to the
Conciliator that she does not want to choose sides between her Mother and Father
and she wants to make sure she sees both them as much as possible.
In regards to Jillian, an appropriate temporary order seems to be for a week-
on, week-off schedule. This would give Jillian time with both parents pending the
involvement of the psychologist. This would also make sure that she would be
with her sister, Lindsey (assuming Lindsey will follow through with the alternating
weekend visitation with her mother), for a minimum period of ten days over a two
week schedule. It is hoped over the course of the summer that while the
evaluation process is underway that Lindsey will cooperate and follow a week-on,
week-off schedule so that she and her sister can be together in both households all
the time.
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