Understanding a Father's Visitation Rights After a Divorce

During divorce proceedings, certain agreements are made about finances, custody of children, child support and visitation arrangements. In some cases, both parents are given joint custody. However, in other cases, one parent is given full custody, and the other one has to establish their own visitation arrangement. Most of the time, it is the dads that have to deal with the issue of visitation rights. However, this is not usually the case. When the court is deciding who gets the custody, they look at factors such as the work schedule of both parents, the location of each parent and their work history.

Here are some easy tips that can help you successfully tilt the set visitation arrangement to your favour.

Terms of the Visitation Rights

There are some basic terms that should be part of the parental visitation rights, regardless of the person who gets full custody. The first is the right to visit your child at the time decreed by the divorce. If, for example, the settlement gave you Saturday with your child, your partner cannot strongarm you into skipping it because she has other guests she needs to entertain on Saturdays. Additionally, they are not allowed to try and control what you do with the child during the visitation hours. You have the right to freely interact with your child when you visit.

The Length of the Visitation

When seeking to have your visitation rights enforced, remember that the devil is in the details. The crucial details to watch out for include the length of time you have been allotted with your child, and the right to object to control mechanisms such as the other partner planning to move out of the state with the child. A competent family lawyer will help you understand what is within the legal rights of the other parent and what a breach is.

Challenging the Order

Sometimes, the court might make a ruling about visitation that you are not comfortable with. It is within your rights to demand that changes be made to the agreement in the best interest of the child. A lawyer will help you draft a document to challenge the agreement, and you will get favourable terms.

These are a few of the many issues to understand about visitation rights. If you feel that the case was not ruled in your favour, you can always call in a family lawyer to help you resolve the impasse. 

Share