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“Teen Mom: The Next Chapter” star Amber Portwood has reason to celebrate this week. After losing custody of her son James to her ex Andrew Glennon in July 2022, Glennon moved with James from Indiana (where Portwood lives, as well as her oldest daughter Leah, who lives with her father Gary Shirley) to California.
Portwood has been working hard since this ruling was made to visit with James and be as involved in his life as possible. She won the right to Facetime with her son multiple times a week after her no-contact order with Glennon was dropped, and Portwood has even been able to visit her son in California.
Today, January 26, The U.S. Sun has reported on another legal win for Portwood, writing that the MTV star has passed a court-mandated drug test and won an increased number of visitation days with her 4-year-old son.
Amber Portwood Wins Increased Visitation With Son James
The U.S. Sun reports that Amber Portwood’s number of visitation days per month has increased from three to five after Portwood passed her drug test. The Sun has previously reported on Portwood and Andrew Glennon’s custody arrangement, and how this increase in Portwood’s visitation was always a part of the court’s original plan.
With this increased visitation, Portwood has entered “phase two” of her custody arrangement, with “phase three” leading to another increase to an as-yet-undetermined number of visitation days. Court documents note that Portwood “will have parenting time pursuant to the Indiana parenting guidelines with distance as a major factor based upon the age of the child,” once in this third and final phase of the agreement. The reason Portwood’s visitation is being increased in phases is to help James adjust to the overnight schedule while becoming comfortable in his new home in California. The eventual goal of the arrangement is for Portwood and Glennon to be able to co-parent without court oversight.
Glennon and Portwood were both ordered to take regular drug tests over the past six months in order to reach this phase in their custody arrangement, which began when the couple split in 2019 and was finally settled in July 2022. This latest round marks the final drug tests the former couple was required to submit to. Portwood was also ordered to see a counselor through this agreement.
Amber Portwood Received Support From Ex Gary Shirley Amidst Custody Battle
While Amber Portwood is working to reach a more amicable co-parenting relationship with her ex Andrew Glennon, she received advice and support from her ex Gary Shirley (who has primary custody of his and Portwood’s daughter, Leah). After visiting James in California, Portwood went to dinner with Leah, Shirley, and his wife Kristina.
During dinner, which was filmed for “Teen Mom: The Next Chapter”, Shirley asked Portwood about how things were between herself and Glennon while Portwood visited James. Portwood shared that is was hard, as he wasn’t very open and communicative with her. Shirley affirmed her feelings, relating that co-parenting has its challenges.
Shirley also appeared alongside Portwood at the “Teen Mom: The Next Chapter” reunion, where he revealed that he went with Portwood to her Indiana home once Glennon and James moved to California after occupying the home during the custody battle, and said the then-vacant home smelled like “stale urine”.
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