Opinion ID: 2301415
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Testimony of Defendant's Father

Text: The defendant's father, A. Michael DePrete, was the first witness to testify on behalf of defendant. [5] Mr. DePrete testified that he and his wife see the children every time that defendant has visitation with the children, which includes every Wednesday    and every other weekend. He also testified that, on the occasions when the children are with their father for a holiday, he and his wife spend that holiday with their son and the children. Mr. DePrete further testified that he attends 90 percent of the children's sporting events and that he and his wife attend any event where the children receive awards. With respect to the relationship between defendant and his children, Mr. DePrete described that relationship as a bond like I have never seen in my life. He elaborated that [defendant] just is a wonderful father. Mr. DePrete testified that defendant is [e]xtremely involved with his sons. In response to a question inquiring as to how Mr. DePrete would characterize his son's older child, Mr. DePrete testified that he was a [w]ell-rounded, loving, caring, wonderful child. Mr. DePrete further testified, however, that he had noticed a difference when plaintiff and defendant were going through their divorce; specifically, he stated that the older son was very upset at that time. However, he added that by January of 2009, he seemed to be a little better. Mr. DePrete further testified that, from that January to July of 2009, defendant's older child had been more distant. Mr. DePrete elaborated as follows: He has been more inward. He is not as bubbly. There is    definitely something going on that    of course he knows about and that he is upset about. When asked when he first started noticing a change, Mr. DePrete responded that it was when the older son found out about Texas and his mother remarrying. Mr. DePrete then testified as to how he himself found out about the engagement of plaintiff and Col. Longo; he stated that defendant came to his parents' home and told them about the engagement and that he was upset about possibly    his children leaving the state and moving to Texas. When asked how he felt about his grandchildren potentially moving to Texas, Mr. DePrete stated that he felt [t]errible because [w]e are not going to be able to see them. Mr. DePrete further testified that one of his concerns about the children moving to Texas was that they are not going to have their true father. On cross-examination, Mr. DePrete acknowledged that plaintiff had always been civil when he had had exchanges with her. He further acknowledged that the children had a good relationship with plaintiff, and he agreed that he had [n]o question that both of his grandchildren loved their mother and their father. He also acknowledged that he considered plaintiff to be a good mother to her children. E