Obtain and protect your visitation rights with your children.

In the not-too-distant past, there was a “one size fits all” solution for visitation by non-custodial parents, but that is no longer the case today.  Some judges still have their fallback “standard visitation” plans, but most now try to craft a solution that meets the specific needs, schedules, and traditions of each individual family faced with divorce. Such an outcome is even more common in cases resolved through some form of mediation and/or the use of Guardians ad Litem. The paramount concern of everyone involved should always be the best interests of the child when figuring out the visitation plan is best for any given case.

For example, if a specific holiday is not especially important to one parent, he or she may decide the other parent can have holiday visits that include the whole holiday, rather than creating a plan that would have the parents splitting the actual holiday. In other cases, you may see parents not switching the children at all during the school week because their children have trouble adjusting, but the other parent gets every or most weekends during the school year to make up for it. Put another way, the solution should fit the family’s needs, rather than forcing the family into a cookie-cutter outcome.

Important factors to keep in mind when developing a visitation schedule or parenting plan are:

Work schedules for both parents

• Distance between the parent’s home & the child’s school
• School calendar(s) and children’s after-school activities
• School bus routes
• Family holiday traditions
• Religious schedules/traditions important to the children
• Summer camps
• Each child’s specific educational needs
• Child care and/or family support available to each parent

Having the assistance of an experienced family law attorney can be especially helpful when dealing with complex issues, such as child custody and visitation. If you are facing such issues, you are welcome to contact us today to schedule a consultation to meet with one of our attorneys.