Factors to Consider When Creating a Parenting Time Schedule
One of the most difficult issues facing many divorcing couples is child custody. Whether you and your spouse are amicably able to determine how parental rights and responsibilities are allocated or the court is required to decide these issues for you, Cincinnati family lawyer John Heilbrun can advocate for your rights throughout the divorce or dissolution process.
Issues like child support and child custody must be addressed in either the agreement entered into by the spouses or the court if the parties can’t come to an agreement. The parties will either have shared parenting of their children in accordance with a shared parenting plan, or one spouse will be designated the custodial/residential parent while the other spouse becomes the non-custodial/non-residential parent. Part of the agreement or court order will include child visitation rights (known in Ohio as parenting time) of the respective parents.
In almost all cases, if you and your spouse are able to agree upon a parenting plan including visitation and parenting time rights, it will be less stressful for you and your child. Our Cincinnati family lawyer can provide you with assistance and representation during this process to help assure that your parenting plan will be in the best interest of your child and include your right to spend meaningful time with him or her.
Details to consider when creating a parenting time schedule include:
- School and extracurricular activities
- Each parent’s ability to provide transportation to school, medical appointments and activities and events
- The frequency of exchanges of the child for parenting time
- Distance between each parent’s residence
- Whether each parent has or will have a bedroom for the child
- Ability of each parent to provide care for the child at different times
- The child’s wishes, if he or she is of sufficient age and maturity
- History of each parent’s involvement in the care and lives of the child
Should you and your spouse fail to come to an agreement on matters concerning parenting time or other issues related to parental rights and responsibilities, the court will make these decisions for you based on what it determines are the best interests of the child. Each county in southwest Ohio has adopted a standard parenting time schedule the courts usually consider as a starting point for determining visitation.
The relationship between parents and children in cases of divorce and dissolution always benefits when the parents are able to arrive at decisions jointly and determine a parenting time schedule that suits the unique needs of their family life. John Heilbrun has dedicated his career to fighting for the rights of his clients, and he can provide you with the support you need during this often stressful process.
If you need the services of an experienced family lawyer who can help you get meaningful time with your child, please contact the Law Office of John Heilbrun or call 513-321-3940 today to schedule your consultation. Mr. Heilbrun represents clients from in or around Cincinnati.
