Opinion ID: 2383020
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Dale's visitation with Charlie after he is placed in OCS custody

Text: After the July 12 incident, Dale left Betty and began to question his paternity of Charlie. OCS ordered a paternity test and counseled Dale to visit Charlie while the results of the test were pending. Dale told OCS that he was just going to wait and wait for the results. The paternity test was completed on September 26, 2007, and the superior court established Dale's paternity on October 11, 2007. Dale did not visit Charlie in the three months between July 17, 2007 and October 11, 2007. OCS contacted Dale once his paternity was established to inquire whether he wanted to visit Charlie. OCS offered three visits a week, but Dale said he could only visit twice a week. In fact, he visited Charlie just once a week in the approximately three months between October 11 and Christmas. Dale testified that he did not increase his visits because of his work schedule and his desire not to inform his employer of his situation with OCS. Dale's visits with Charlie dropped below the once-a-week level in the five months between January 2008 and May 2008. Dale testified that he visited infrequently because of scheduling conflicts with Betty's visits with Charlie and his belief that he could obtain custody of Charlie after OCS returned Charlie to Betty.