There is nothing more important to a divorced parent than having time with his or her children. Understandably, each parent wants to be an equal part of their child’s life, however, many custody orders or agreements do not make this possible. Further, parents may also compromise their parenting time schedule by behaving irresponsibly, inappropriately, or even dangerously. Parenting time issues are far from uncommon, and if you are experiencing these issues with your co-parent, continue reading and reach out to our Bergen County family lawyers at once. In some cases, we can work to modify the current parenting time order or agreement and help protect your children’s best interests.
Common Parenting Time Issues in New Jersey
- One parent failing to return the children: A parenting time plan schedules out when each parent is supposed to pick up and drop off their children. Of course, occasionally, an emergency can occur and a parent may have a valid reason to keep the children for an extra couple of hours or days, and as long as both parents understand that it would be in the child’s best interests, it’s generally no big deal. However, a parent refusing to drop his or her children off without a valid reason to do is illegal and can, in certain circumstances, even constitute kidnapping charges.
- One parent failing to pick up the children: Unfortunately, some parents simply repeatedly neglect to pick up their children at the scheduled time. Again, this isn’t referring to a one-off situation where something important came up and the parent simply couldn’t make it. That said, a continuous failure to pick up the children can have a serious emotional impact on the children and is unacceptable.
- One parent behaving inappropriately: In some cases, parenting time issues arise when one parent decides to “vent” or outright insult their former spouse to their children. Parents must never trash talk the other parent to their children, as this can also have a significant emotional impact on them. If your spouse is sabotaging your relationship with your children, you may have grounds to request a modification to your custody agreement. Remember, children are people, not chess pieces and one parent should never try to turn their children against the other.
Contact our experienced New Jersey firm
We understand how confusing certain legal issues can be, which is why we are dedicated to providing individuals with the compassionate and knowledgeable legal representation they deserve. Aronsohn, Weiner, Salerno & Kaufman has helped clients with various difficult legal challenges for over 40 years. We know we have the experience needed to do the same for you. For experienced legal counsel regarding family law, litigation, business law, real estate, and criminal law, you know where to turn–contact Aronsohn, Weiner, Salerno & Kaufman today to schedule a consultation.