Visitation schedule

In a divorce, when legal custody is granted to one parent, the other parent is nearly always awarded reasonable visitation rights. Hopefully, the parents themselves will be able to agree upon a visitation schedule that is fair and convenient for both them and their child. If the parents, however, are unable to agree upon such a schedule, the court will establish it for them. In doing so, the court will consider the child's age, the proximity of the parents to each other, the parents' work schedules, the wishes of the child, the wishes of the parent, the interaction level between the child and each parent, and the mental and physical health of all three. Court-arranged visitation schedules can be specific or general, but parents are encouraged to follow them closely. Occasionally a parent that ignores or refuses to follow the schedule can have visitation limited or completely taken away. For more information on visitation schedules, consult an area attorney.