Dwyane Wade has been ordered by a judge to turn his two sons over to their mother immediately.
Dade County Circuit Court Judge Antonio Marin denied an emergency motion filed by Wade seeking to withhold visitation from his ex-wife Siohvaughn Funches-Wade unless she underwent a psychological evaluation.
Marin ordered Funches-Wade to undergo anger management evaluation, with Wade citing his ex-wife’s behavior during the trial, including her July 19 stunt outside Chicago’s Daley Center . She sat on the ground with a sign that read, “NBA Miami Heat star, mother of his children on the streets,” and ranted to passersby about “$90 million contracts” and “houses on the water.”
The former couple’s divorce battle finally ended in a $5 million settlement . A previous temporary deal stated Fuches-Wade would receive $25,000 a month in spousal support and an additional $10,000 in travel and living expenses, which she said wasn’t enough.
The two children, 9-year-old Zaire and 4-year-old Zion, have been in Chicago since July 22. They were supposed to have been delivered to Funches-Wade for a two-week visit, but they weren’t turned over until Wednesday morning. A 2011 custody judgement granted Wade sole custody and visitation rights for his ex-wife.
“The judge granted our motion for a directed finding that Mr. Wade failed to make a prima facie case — there was no basis for withholding or modifying Ms. Funches-Wade’s visitation,” Funches-Wade’s attorney, Brian Hurst, said. “She’s lost eight days with her children. Under their custody judgment, she’s now entitled to compensatory time.”
“On behalf of Mr. Wade, we are satisfied. If we hadn’t brought that motion, there was no other way to call the court’s attention to her erratic behavior in the courthouse and at Daley Plaza,” Wade’s attorney, James Pritikin, said. “An evaluation for anger management is the same thing as a psychological evaluation…. Tomorrow morning, they’re going to begin a period of visitation with their mother.”
[Photo credit: Keith Allison / Flickr ]