BLAKE MCCLENDON v. MICHELLE MCCLENDON

1 SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA 2 COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO 3 UNIFIED FAMILY COURT 4

5) 6 BLAKE MCCLENDON,) Case Number: FDI-20-793695) 7 Petitioner) Hearing Date: April 23, 2026) 8 VS.) Hearing Time: 9:00 AM) 9 MICHELLE MCCLENDON,) Department: 404) 10 Respondent) Presiding: AI MORI) 11) 12 OTHER REVIEW HEARING; REQUEST FOR ORDER RE: TEMPORARY EMERGENCY ORDER, 13 CHILD CUSTODY, VISITATION (PARENTING TIME) 14 TENTATIVE RULING 15 Having read and considered the pleadings, declarations, and other evidence submitted in this matter, the 16 Court makes the following findings and orders: 17 A. Procedural History 18 1) Petitioner Blake McClendon (Father) and Respondent Michelle Howell (Mother) have one minor 19 child together, Sonora (DOB 6/17/2020, age 5). 20 2) On 3/27/2026, minor’s counsel Ryan Sheets filed an ex parte request for emergency orders 21 granting Mother temporary sole physical custody based on concerns that Father had relapsed on 22 drugs, as evidenced by recent unexplained weight loss, erratic behavior, sleeplessness, and 23 paranoid and delusional statements. Minor’s counsel stated in his declaration that he had reached 24 out to Father’s attorney, who was unable to get in touch with his client. Minor’s counsel declared 25 that when he told Sonora that she might be spending some time with Mother, Sonora was happy, 26 did not express any concern, and did not ask any questions. Mother filed a declaration supporting 27 minor’s counsel’s request and informed the Court that Father’s whereabouts were unknown and 28 that Sonora was doing well in her care. 29

1 3) On 3/27/2026, the Court granted minor’s counsel’s request and awarded temporary physical 2 custody of Sonora to Mother pending a hearing on the matter on 4/30/2026, which was advanced 3 to 4/23/2026. The Court ordered that Father shall be entitled to one, three-hour visit per week, to 4 be professionally supervised or supervised by the paternal grandmother. The Court further 5 ordered that Father is not to pick up Sonora from any location including from her school. The ex 6 parte order also provides that Mother may allow Sonora to visit with the paternal grandmother. 7 4) The Court has reviewed and considered Mother’s update declaration in which she states that 8 Father’s whereabouts remain unknown and that Sonora is happy and doing well in her care. 9 B. Findings and Orders 10 1) This Court has jurisdiction to make child custody orders in this case under the Uniform Child 11 Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act. A violation of this order may subject the party in 12 violation to civil or criminal penalties, or both. The country of habitual residence of the minor 13 child is the United States. 14 2) The Court finds it is in Sonora’s best interests to award temporary sole legal and sole physical 15 custody of Sonora to Mother and to maintain the orders set forth in the Court’s 3/27/2026 ex parte 16 order. 17 3) If either party wishes to modify the current order, they may file a new request for order with the 18 Court. 19 4) The Court will prepare the Findings and Order After Hearing. 20