J. Ruskin

The father sought costs following a parenting review hearing that resulted in the suspension of the mother's contact with the child, as well as costs for an unsuccessful motion brought by the mother.

The court awarded the father full indemnity costs for the parenting review hearing due to the mother's conduct, and partial indemnity costs for the unsuccessful motion.

The mother was ordered to pay total costs of $14,627.85.

The applicant mother brought a motion to lift the suspension of her in-person parenting time and to order 50-50 parenting time.

The court had previously suspended her parenting time due to chronic, unsubstantiated allegations of abuse against the respondent father.

Shortly after her first supervised electronic visit, the mother again called the police on the father based on a two-word text message from the child, resulting in another unfounded investigation.

The court dismissed the mother's motion and ordered a complete suspension of all contact between the mother and the child for three months.

Following the dismissal of the mother's motion and the granting of the father's motion regarding parenting time, the father sought costs on a full recovery basis.

The court awarded the father $35,837.00 in full recovery costs, citing the mother's bad faith, her history of unpaid costs awards totaling nearly $450,000, and her inappropriate direct communications with the court.

However, the court declined the father's request to deduct the costs award from his monthly spousal support payments, noting that doing so could impede the mother's therapeutic progress and delay her reunification with the child.