Visitation

When one parent is awarded custody of the child, the other parent is granted the right of visitation. Visitation plays a role in almost all custody arrangements unless deemed not to be in "a child's best interest."The guidelines for visitation should be agreed upon promptly to prevent any future misunderstandings. It is the responsibility of the parents to arrange for a reasonable schedule of visitation. Failure to do so in a timely manner will force the court to assume complete control. This discussion should be approached by both parents openly, in order to thoroughly address the central issues of when, where, and for how long.It is important to always bear in mind that the child has a right to maintain an ongoing relationship with both parents. Once arrangements have been made, they should not be deliberately interfered with or ignored.It is the responsibility of the custodial parent to prepare the child for the first visitation. The visits are normally non-supervised and occur at the non-custodial parent's residence.Visitation patterns that evolve throughout and after the final divorce typically reflect the pre-divorce relationship. However, the temporary visitation arrangements made prior to the final divorce are not always the guidelines followed after the divorce.