The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court’s decision on November 4, 2026, denying Jordan Fleschner visitation rights with his ex-partner’s daughter. Fleschner, who raised the girl for eight years, lost his bid after the court found he failed to overcome the legal presumption that a fit parent acts in the child’s best interests. The decision effectively ends the two-year informal arrangement where the child spent alternating weeks with Fleschner.
Fleschner and Rachel Scheid began dating in 2015. By 2016, they moved in together, and Scheid’s daughter, then two years old, began referring to him as her father. Court records show Fleschner was deeply involved in the child’s education and medical care. The relationship ended in 2023 after a physical altercation, but the couple maintained a co-parenting schedule for two years, including holidays with Fleschner’s family.
The dynamic shifted in July 2025. Fleschner discovered a reference to self-harm in the 12-year-old’s diary and informed Scheid. Scheid viewed the diary reading as a privacy violation, and the child stopped visiting Fleschner. Despite this, Fleschner created a secret Discord account to maintain contact, sending packages and suggesting adoption. Scheid secured a protective order in January 2026 after discovering these clandestine messages.
In March 2026, the trial court rejected Fleschner’s petition for visitation, citing his conduct as eroding the mother’s authority. The appeals court upheld this, noting that while emotional bonds are significant, they do not automatically create legal standing for unmarried partners under Indiana law. The judges emphasized that Fleschner’s attempts to bypass Scheid’s authority disqualified him from third-party visitation.
Fleschner’s attorney has not yet commented on a potential further appeal to the Indiana Supreme Court. The ruling stands as a strict interpretation of parental rights, leaving the child in the sole custody of Scheid without court-ordered visitation for her former partner.