Child Visitation

Child visitation, often pursuant to a parenting plan, can take a variety of forms or schedules; two of the most common are reasonable visitation, which leaves it up to the parents to specify dates and times, and scheduled visitation, which is a fixed schedule. Visitation arrangements normally include some if not all of the following basic provisions:

  • Alternate weekend visitation with the non-custodial parent, including “three-day holidays”
  • Mid-week visitation with the non-custodial parent
  • Sharing of the child during periods of school recess – winter, spring and summer (often split 50-50)
  • New Year`s Eve, Easter, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are typical holidays where children alternate spending the day with each parent from year to year
  • Mother`s Day is spent with the mother, Father`s Day with the father
  • Parents alternate years on the child`s birthday
  • Open and frequent telephone contact by the parent who does not have physical custody of the child
  • Exchange of a few days of visitation here and there, as mutually agreed, without the need for a modification of the court order

Emergency situations would potentially require the other parent to take temporary physical custody of the child.

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