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How can distance impact visitation arrangements?

On Behalf of | Jun 13, 2024 | Child Custody

When finalizing child custody and visitation arrangements, the parents and the court typically prioritize the child’s best interests. Still, these setups should also consider specific details that could affect the divorced couple’s abilities to perform their parental duties, such as the distance between their residences.

A comprehensive visitation schedule could be crucial during life after divorce. If the arrangement is unreasonable, one or both parents can face severe challenges, discouraging them from fulfilling their responsibilities to their child. Depending on the family’s needs, location and distance can be vital when creating these visitation setups.

The impact of distance on visitation

Depending on where the parents live, the court could adjust the order to allow each party to spend time with their child reasonably. Parents can have varying arrangements, but certain practices concerning visitation can apply, especially during spring breaks. The children can have significant free time during these periods since they don’t need to attend school.

If each parent’s home is within 100 miles of each other, the court can follow a regular schedule, allowing the child to spend their break with one or the other parent, alternating each year until the child becomes an adult.

On the other hand, one of the parents could have the child every year for spring break when their residences are farther than 100 miles apart. Visitation time can still vary, depending on whether the family has unique circumstances that impact the child’s and each parent’s schedules.

Understanding what will work for the family

Aside from organizing calendars, other child custody and visitation complications can arise if the parents live farther away from one another, such as when a party lives out of state or abroad. These instances can create additional legal issues stemming from variations in state laws and legal jurisdictions. Fortunately, the law has provisions to accommodate these scenarios, potentially requiring legal guidance to understand how they work thoroughly. Experienced insight into these situations can also benefit the child and the entire family.

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