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Interfering with visitation time

by | Dec 3, 2019 | Custody & Visitation

Custodial parents in Indiana sometimes refuse to allow their children’s other parents to have visitation with the children despite child custody and visitation orders. Parents may not arbitrarily refuse to honor a noncustodial parent’s visitation time. There are several common and illegitimate reasons why some custodial parents refuse to allow their children to have visitation with the noncustodial parents.

Some custodial parents refuse to allow visitation when the noncustodial parents are behind on child support. This is not a valid reason since visitation and child support are separate issues. Other times, parents refuse to allow visitation because they are bitter towards the other parent. Some refuse to allow it because they dislike the significant other of their children’s other parent.

Another reason why a parent might refuse to allow visitation is when the noncustodial parent does not have a separate bedroom for the child. Parents sometimes also refuse to honor the visitation schedule when their children are sick, don’t want to visit or have other plans. None of these reasons are valid. Parents who refuse to honor court-ordered visitation schedules are acting illegally and may face legal repercussions, including fines, penalties and jail time.

Noncustodial parents whose former partners are refusing visitation time might benefit from consulting with a child custody and family law attorney. A lawyer might help his or her clients with enforcing a child custody and visitation order by filing motions with the court that has jurisdiction over the case. Parents should not have their visitation rights interfered with for invalid reasons. Having liberal contact with both parents is generally viewed as being in the best interests of a child. By notifying the court that the other parent is refusing visitation time, the noncustodial parent may be able to enforce the court’s order and potentially obtain a modification of the child custody and visitation orders.

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