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Nebraska Court Rejects Relocation / Custody Tactic: Bugging Child?s Teddy Bear

By Janet Langjahr

Nebraska couple divorce. Their Daughter is now 4 years old.

Mother files motion to relocate with Daughter to another state.

Daughter’s therapist learns from Mother that there is a recording device in Daughter’s teddy bear.

The recorder was reportedly placed in the teddy bear by the Mother, or someone on her behalf.

It turns out that the device has been recording Father’s visitation for many months.

The Court bars use of the recordings in the courtroom, on the grounds that making the recordings was illegal.

Now, Father and several others who were recorded, including some court-appointees in the case, have filed a damages lawsuit against Mother, her father and Mother’s former attorneys for invasion of their privacy.

Mother’s attorneys terminated their representation upon learning of the recordings allegedly made for their client (although they argued that the recordings should be used by the Court).

Father has recently been awarded greater timesharing with Daughter, nearly equal to Mother’s.

Mother has not been charged in criminal court with making or causing the recordings to be made.

Meanwhile, Father briefly microwaves Daughter’s coats, toys and teddy bears whenever he picks her up, to disable any other recording devices.

Read more in this Omaha [NE] World-Herald article: Custody case tip: Don’t bug kid’s teddy bear.

Full post as published by Florida Divorce - Child Custody - Domestic Abuse Law on January 20, 2009 (boomark / email).