Candace Hildreth (Now Mendez) v. John Hildreth

── Candace Hildreth (Now Mendez) v. John Hildreth ── Court: Court of Appeals of Arkansas Date: March 18, 2026 Category: General Cite as 2026 Ark. App. 193 ARKANSAS COURT OF APPEALS DIVISION IV No. CV-25-191 CANDACE HILDRETH (NOW Opinion Delivered March 18, 2026 MENDEZ) APPEAL FROM THE SALINE APPELLANT COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT [NO. 63DR-17-795] V. HONORABLE BRENT DILLON JOHN HILDRETH HOUSTON, JUDGE APPELLEE AFFIRMED CINDY GRACE THYER, Judge Candace Hildreth (now Mendez) appeals a Saline County Circuit Court order that granted appellee John Hildreth’s motion to modify the couple’s child-custody arrangement. On appeal, Candace argues that the circuit court erred in modifying the joint-custody arrangement because there was no material change in circumstances and because modification was not in the best interest of the couple’s minor child (MC). We find no error and affirm. I. Factual and Procedural Background Candace and John were married in 2010 and have one child, MC, who was born in 2012. The couple was divorced by a Garland County Circuit Court decree entered on March 18, 2016; at that time, the circuit court awarded Candace and John joint legal custody with a “week-on/week-off” schedule.  Candace moved to modify the custody arrangement in March 2017. She noted that she resided in Bryant and John resided in Arkadelphia; therefore, because MC would be starting kindergarten in August, their living arrangements would make joint physical custody impossible. John responded and moved to dismiss, noting that at that point, no determination had been made as to where the child would enroll in school and that there had therefore not been a material change in circumstances. The case was transferred from Garland County to Saline County in July 2017, and in December 2017, the circuit court entered an agreed temporary order that was intended to establish custody of MC until the end of the school year. The order continued joint physical custody on the week-to-week schedule and directed that the party having physical custody was responsible for taking MC to and from school in Bryant. MC was also allowed to participate in extracurricular activities in Saline County. Candace and John both moved to modify custody in the spring and summer of 2019, trading accusations of hostilities. The court ordered Candace and John into mediation in August 2019. Thereafter, on December 30, 2020, the circuit court entered an agreed order. In this order, the court maintained joint legal and physical custody of MC, with the parties to continue to exercise week-to-week custody of the child, exchanging her on Mondays after school. Candace and John were directed to make joint legal decisions, with John making final decisions on medical issues and Candace making final decisions regarding educational issues in the event they were unable to agree on those decisions. The court also allowed the parties to enroll MC in one extracurricular activity each year so long as the activity did not 2 have practice or meet more than once a week. Candace and John were ordered to submit to coparenting communication classes and were directed to not speak ill of each other in MC’s presence. In March 2024, Candace filed a motion for contempt and for modification of the December 2020 order. In it, she complained that she had been excluded from accessing MC’s medical portal and that John’s current wife (who is also named Candace) had completed MC’s HIPAA forms as parent/guardian and was listed as the main emergency contact on MC’s medical records. Additionall