A Humphreys County judge on Monday removed the court-ordered supervision requirement for Stefan Hinton’s visits with his two children but limited those unsupervised visits to the paternal grandparents’ home and set a phased schedule intended to expand the father’s time while protecting the children’s ongoing therapy plan.

Why this matters: The order changes parental access rules in a contested custody dispute where one child has documented anxiety and the family is engaged in counseling. The court balanced the father’s interest in increased contact with the mother’s concerns about the father’s living situation and the children’s mental health.

Background and testimony: The case arose after an earlier incident that led to an order of protection and criminal charges that were later dismissed and expunged, testimony showed. The parties agreed on supervised visits overseen by the paternal stepfather, Joe Thomas, and the children have attended counseling with a therapist identified in court as Megan Hale.

During the hearing, the mother, Lisa Hinton, described ongoing anxiety in the older child (Gabriella), said the family has followed counselor recommendations, and asked that visitation remain at the paternal grandparents’ home. The father, Stefan Hinton, acknowledged past tardiness for visits and described efforts to stay involved; he testified he recently lost a job and is actively seeking work and that he would like the children eventually introduced to his younger child with another woman.

The judge’s order: Judge David Wolf granted unsupervised visitation but restricted the exercise of that visitation to the paternal grandparents’ home (the father’s parents). The judge set a phased expansion: for the next three weekends the father will have weekend days from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; on the fourth weekend the father will have overnight time beginning 9 a.m. Saturday through 6 p.m. Sunday. The court said the schedule will continue unless modified at future proceedings and that public events (school games and similar) are permitted without the previously required supervisor present.

The court also directed that the children not be introduced to the father’s new infant sibling until the children’s counselor, Megan Hale, recommends such contact and allowed the father access to the children’s therapist to coordinate transition plans. The judge emphasized that if either parent unreasonably denies reasonable additional time, that behavior may be considered at the final hearing set for February.

No change was ordered to child-support payments on the record; the judge instructed counsel to prepare and submit a written order memorializing the visitation schedule and holiday divisions (Thanksgiving and Christmas arrangements described at the hearing).