Details about Jenelle Evans’ new custody arrangement with Jace and Barbara

Jenelle Evans Barbara Evans and Jace together May 2013

As we reported earlier, nearly seven years after Teen Mom 2 star Jenelle Evans originally filed a motion to modify the custody arrangement for her son Jace, she and her mom Barbara Evans have finally come to an agreement on a new custody arrangement that includes a consistent schedule of visitation for Jenelle. We now have more details about the new arrangement between the two, which includes numerous terms for both Jenelle and Barbara — including not being allowed to put each other down in Jace’s presence.

The terms of the arrangement come via a source for The Ashley’s Reality Roundup, who reveals that the new visitation arrangement allows Jenelle to have Jace every other weekend from Friday night until Sunday night, starting this weekend.

Here are some of the restrictions in the arrangement agreed to by both Jenelle and Barbara from The Ashley:

• They are not allowed to call each other names or say anything bad about the other when Jace is present. They must also make sure that no one else (i.e. friends, soulmates, etc.) says anything bad about the other in front of Jace. They must be respectful to one another at all times while Jace is present.

This one is clearly inspired by the numerous scenes on the show in which we see Barbara and Jenelle bad mouthing each other in an attempt to curry Jace’s favor, or to elicit an on-camera admission of preference from him. I am sure this one will inspire applause all over the internet among fans who have been concerned about the effect these tactics were having on Jace — on camera and off.

They are not allowed to use illegal drugs (including marijuana), or let anyone else around them use illegal drugs around Jace. In addition, they can’t be under the influence (or have anyone around them who is under the influence with them) while they are with Jace.

They can not drink excessively while Jace is present, nor can they allow others to be drunk around Jace.

These cut both ways as well. Clearly, Jenelle has a history of drug issues — especially marijuana — and Barbara is famously quite fond of the wine. I can foresee some problems with the grey areas here as it will have to be determined what merits “excessive” drinking. Also, what happens if Jenelle (and/or others around Jace) use marijuana in a state where it is legal, such as California, where many of the Reunion and after show specials are filmed? We don’t have the exact verbiage of the agreement, so I’m not sure how specific it is.

Barbara Evans Jenelle Evans and Jace

The only people who are allowed to physically discipline Jace are Barbara and Jenelle. The agreement specifically states that no one else may do so.

Oh boy. Something tells me this will be the first guideline to get violated. With Jenelle being followed like a hawk both online and whenever she is in public, I think we will hear about some incident in which David Eason scolds Jace or something similar. David is notoriously a staunch disciplinarian, and I think he is going to find it very difficult to hold back in certain situations. That is purely speculation though!

In addition to the above guidelines, there are also rules allowing for access of Jace’s medical and school records, as well as stipulations about changing phone numbers and taking Jace out of the country. (Essentially, both Jenelle and Barbara are required to keep the other aware.)

Jenelle revealed that not getting custody of Jace left her devastated, but she was able to see the positives of the new arrangement. “I’m not restricted to when my mom says I can have my son anymore and at the moment that’s all I care about,” she said. “I just want to spend time with my son.”

But don’t think for a minute that this is the last time we will see Jenelle and Barbara in court over Jace! “I will fight again in the future when the time is right,” Jenelle promises. “I’m happy but devastated at the same time that I didn’t take it to trial.”

So what do you think about the custody outcome and the new guidelines for Jenelle and Barbara? Which guideline do you think will be the hardest for one or the other (or both) to adhere to?



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