What to Do If Your Former Spouse Interferes with Your Parenting Time

 Posted on April 02, 2018 in Family Law

Divorcing parents have the right to collaborate and come up with a parenting plan that works for both of them. If they cannot come to an agreement, a judge will look at what is in the best interests of the children and design a parenting plan.

In many divorces, the goal is to give both parents close to equal parenting time. This way, each parent can play an active role in their children’s lives and children can be raised by both of their parents. Parenting time is granted to both parents unless there is some type of child endangerment issue.

Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for one parent to try to withhold parenting time from their ex-spouse. Let us dive deeper into what it means to withhold parenting time and what your options are when your ex takes away from your time with your children.

How Is Parenting Time Withheld?

There are several ways one parent may withhold parenting time from their ex spouse. A parent may drop off or return their children late or fail to bring their children to the other parent when they are supposed to.

It is important to note that even if you are spending 15 minutes less with your children each time, these delays can add up. You have the right to receive this lost time back or at the very least be granted a solution.

What to Do If Your Parenting Time Is Constantly Withheld

If you have noticed that your parenting time is constantly withheld, you should reach out to an experienced divorce lawyer as soon as possible. They can look over your parenting agreement and modify any unclear statements.

If there is a great deal of tension between you and your ex regarding the parenting plan, a lawyer may suggest that you attend family counseling sessions to come to a resolution. They may also be able to award “make up” time if you have lost a significant amount of time with your children.

In the event a parent continues to deny you of parenting time, criminal charges may be imposed on them. Additionally, they could lose some of their own parenting time.

Contact Our DuPage County Divorce Lawyers

If you believe your former spouse has reduced from your parenting time, you should contact our highly skilled DuPage County divorce lawyers. We will examine your situation and design an appropriate solution for your case.

Source:

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=072000050K10-5.5