Court approves Walls divorce settlement, adopts parenting plan with tutoring and division of funds

Judge David D. Wolfe approved a stipulated settlement in Walls v. Walls, adopted the parties' parenting plan with limited modifications and signed the divorce decree after both parties affirmed the agreement under oath.

Attorneys for the parties announced that the December 12, 2022 parenting plan would remain in effect with a few minor changes: spring-break custody will alternate (the mother will have odd years), and the parties agreed the father will provide tutoring or other recommended educational assistance for a minor child, Ryker, who the parties reported has autism. The court and counsel clarified the service will be described as tutoring or educational assistance to accommodate jurisdictional limitations on “summer school” if the child is enrolled in an out-of-state school.

The parties also agreed on division of property and accounts: each parent will keep personal property and separately held bank accounts, the father will keep his retirement and the mother hers, and there is $248,840.60 noted as held by the clerk’s office. Counsel stated $61,100 of the funds would be paid to the wife for child-support arrears.

The parties confirmed that therapy and related services recommended for the child — including ABA, speech, feeding, or physical therapy — will be treated as reasonable medical expenses with applicable co-pays considered uncovered expenses to be shared as described in the parenting plan. Counsel said a new child-support calculation will go into effect Feb. 1.

After admonishing the parties about the need to set aside animosity and focus on the children's best interests, the court approved counsel’s drafted order, entered the parenting plan as a court order and granted the divorce on stipulated grounds. The transcript records the judge instructing counsel to prepare the written order and the court's approval of the settlement on the record.