Most parents who separate or divorce share custody after they begin living separately. Their children travel back and forth between their homes based on a set schedule. Both parents have an obligation to uphold the custody order to the best of their capabilities and to work with one another to act in the children’s best interests.
Despite their best intentions, sometimes parents cannot uphold the custody schedule. In some cases, a parent who does not have their regularly scheduled time with their children can potentially request makeup parenting time shortly after the canceled session.
When do state custody guidelines authorize makeup parenting time?
Unexpected cancellations warrant extra time
When unpredictable occurrences, such as illness or sudden overtime at work, interfere with a custody arrangement, one parent may need to cancel the other’s time with the children. When that happens, the parent denied that time generally has the right to request an equivalent amount of makeup parenting time.
If the parents can work out an arrangement that they both agree is appropriate, rescheduling the lost time is a simple matter. When there is a disagreement, the parent denied time may need to document the issue.
If cancellations occur frequently, they may be grounds for a modification of the existing custody order. A judge can also enforce the existing order by establishing a formal requirement for makeup parenting time for the sessions previously lost.
Those dealing with interference in their scheduled parenting time may need help understanding their rights and taking appropriate actions in response. Discussing the situation with a child custody attorney can help parents get the makeup parenting time they deserve with their children.