Practice Area
Visitation
The schedule that governs when a child is with each parent — the part families actually live inside, week after week.
Visitation — increasingly called parenting time — is the schedule that governs when a child is with each parent. Where custody sets the framework, visitation is the part families actually live inside, week after week.
Common schedule structures
- Alternating weekends, sometimes with a midweek evening or overnight
- 2-2-3 — a rotating pattern that gives each parent regular weekday and weekend time
- Week-on / week-off, usually for older children and parents who live close together
- Long-distance schedules built around school breaks and extended summer time
- Supervised visits, where a third party or facility is present for safety reasons
The right structure depends on the child’s age, how far apart the parents live, work schedules, and how well the parents can hand off without conflict.
Holidays, school breaks, and summers
Most conflict lives here rather than in the regular week. Workable plans name specific holidays, alternate them by even and odd years, define exactly when a holiday period begins and ends, and say who covers travel. “We’ll work it out” is where litigation starts.
When a parent won’t follow the order
Enforcement options generally escalate: document every missed or refused exchange, attempt a written resolution, then file a motion to enforce. Courts can order make-up time, adjust the schedule, or impose sanctions for repeated violations. Two things that reliably make it worse: withholding the child in response, and withholding support because time was denied. Support and parenting time are separate obligations.
Relocation
A parent planning to move a meaningful distance usually has to give notice and, if the other parent objects, get court approval. Courts weigh the reason for the move, the effect on the child’s relationship with the non-moving parent, and whether a workable long-distance schedule exists. Moving first and asking later tends to go badly.
What this page isn’t
Demonstration content, not legal advice. Notice requirements, enforcement procedures, and relocation standards vary significantly by state.
Common questions
Can visitation be denied if child support isn’t paid?
No. Support and parenting time are separate legal obligations. Withholding a child over unpaid support generally violates the custody order and creates a second problem on top of the first.
What is supervised visitation?
Visits that occur with a neutral third party or at a designated facility, ordered where a court has safety concerns. It’s often temporary, with the arrangement revisited as circumstances change.
Can grandparents get visitation rights?
Some states allow grandparents or other close relatives to petition for visitation in specific circumstances, though the bar is high — parents’ constitutional rights over their children weigh heavily. It varies a great deal by state.
What if we want to change the schedule and we both agree?
Informal changes are common and usually fine day to day, but the written order still governs if there’s ever a dispute. If the new arrangement is permanent, getting it entered as a modified order protects both parents.
Related
Custody
Decision-making authority and where a child lives.
Family Law
Divorce, separation, property, and support.
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