DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA COURT OF APPEALS WILLIAM A. WILSON III, APPELLANT, v. FRANCESCA V. CRAIG, APPELLEE. By. Maygen C.

http://www.lexisnexis.com.proxy.msbcollege.edu/hottopics/lnacademic/

William A. Wilson III and Francesca Craig were married on September 14, 1985 in Newport, Rhode Island. During their marriage, they had four children, three who were still minors during the time of their divorce. Their divorce was finalized in April 2003. The day before the divorce judgment was entered, they reached an Agreement. The terms of the Agreement stated that the parties would have joint legal and physical custody and agreed to a timeshare schedule where the amount of time that the three youngest children resided with Mr. Wilson would over the course of 18 months, gradually increase to an equal, alternating-week schedule. It required him to pay $6,000 per month in child support, plus school tuition, medical insurance and dental costs, and to keep a life insurance policy for $1 million dollars. Ms. Craig was also required to pay the children's un-reimbursed mental health care costs and the first $ 1,500 of un-reimbursed medical expenses.

On February 20, 2004, Ms. Craig filed a Motion to Modify the Custody Agreement and Related Relief. She complained that the agreement failed to provide the parenting coordinator with any explicit authority to investigate problems arising between the parties and provide meaningful recommendations to the parties so they may work toward effective co-parenting. Ms. Craig also said that the parenting schedule and the children’s living situations were affecting the kid’s development and was causing problem for the children psychologically. Special Master pendente lite and hold an evidentiary hearing to help determine what residential schedule and legal custodial arrangement would best serve the children. Following an evidentiary hearing in May 2004, the trial judge found "that the behavior of the three younger children indicated that they were experiencing psychological and emotional distress, which plainly was not in their best interests, and which appeared to be increasing rather than abating,"  

 The change of custody agreement to Ms. Craig having the children full time changed the child support agreement.  Mr. Craig was the ordered to pay Ms. Craig $12,617 per month as her monthly expenses having all three children. The court ruled in favor of Ms. Craig and her financial needs from Mr. Craig for child support.