Visitation Rights: How Do They Work?

deputyandmizell

3 years ago

Have you got divorced with children before? If so, you know how tough it can be to sort out a child custody arrangement that actually works for everyone. The main thing to remember here though, is the court rules in the BEST interest of the child, not you and not the other parent. That being said, some non-custodial parents end up with visitation only when it comes to seeing their kids, for various reasons. Keep reading this week’s blog to learn more about visitation rights and how they work. If you have questions about child custody, please schedule your consultation with one of our family law attorneys at the Lake of the Ozarks today. Your first consultation is free. Call Deputy and Mizell at 573-346-9990.

What Does Visitation Mean?

In some cases, sole custody is given to the custodial parent. The non-custodial parent may be given visitation rights, meaning they can still see their child but the amount depends on the type of visitation they get. There are three types of visitation:

Unsupervised
Supervised
Reasonable

Unsupervised Visitation Rights

In this case, the non-custodial parent may spend time with the child without supervision and this may include overnight visits. However, if the custodial parent refuses to cooperate with this sort of schedule, the non-custodial parent may request the court to make this happen.

Supervised Visitation Rights

Here the visits with the child must be supervised by a third party. This person may be appointed by the court or even a family member or friend of the custodial parent’s choosing. Please keep in mind that supervised visitation is not necessarily a permanent situation. If the supervised visit was ordered because the non-custodial parent has a drug or alcohol problem, testing may be required before he or she can see the child.

Reasonable Visitation Rights

This type of visitation is a schedule set up by the parents. This sort of visitation is only recommended if you and your ex communicate well and can agree on a reasonable visitation schedule for your child.

What Should A Visitation Schedule Consist Of?

This should be an organized document that only comes into play if reasonable visitation is ordered. It should lay out the following:

Names the parent with visitation rights
The specific days and times these visits will take place
Where the visits will take place
Who will be driving the child
Anything else the judge might deem appropriate to add to prevent future issues.

Now that you have a better understanding of visitation, is this something you need to discuss further? If so, we can be reached at the Camdenton phone number listed below. No questions are bad questions and we are here to help. You may even be surprised at how many other divorced parents ask the same thing. Every divorce is hard, but our experience can help you get through this.