Navigating Parenting Time Guidelines During Holidays in Indiana
Disputes between co-parents over holiday parenting time are common in Indiana, as both parties often wish to spend special occasions with their children. The Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines (IPTG) provide a clear schedule for holiday parenting time, helping resolve many of these disputes. However, even with the guidelines in place, misunderstandings or disagreements may arise regarding what the child custody order or IPTG actually states.
At Webster & Garino LLC, our experienced family law attorneys in Westfield, IN, specialize in helping parents navigate the complexities of Indiana divorce laws and parenting time schedules. We offer professional legal guidance and family law mediation to ensure that you understand your rights and make informed decisions about your parenting time.
What are the Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines?
The Indiana parenting time guidelines are established by the State for children of divorced parents or children born out of wedlock. It is a set of rules that outline a standardized parenting time schedule for holidays and special occasions between the custodial parent, non-custodial parent, or co-parenting parties.
Versions of these guidelines vary across the years, and parents need to follow the guidelines in effect for their case. Their divorce decree or child custody order might specify the applicable version. If the documents do not mention it specifically, then you may need the assistance of a Westfield family lawyer to help you determine which version applies to your case.
Family Law Mediation for the Parenting Time Schedule
The Indiana parenting time guidelines don’t take into consideration your family’s unique circumstances. For example, if a child’s birthday falls on or close to the holidays, which party’s day should it be? These types of disputes are common among parents after divorce or a custody hearing. Unless the divorce decree or child custody court order directly covers the topic of birthdays overlapping with holidays, then you may have questions about how to interpret the Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines for your case.
Professional mediation can help divorced or divorcing parties come to agreements on these extenuating circumstances which can be added to your divorce decree or court orders. Oftentimes, parties will agree that if they cannot decide a parenting time matter on their own, they will return to mediation before trying to have a Court determine the outcome.
Family law mediation is a form of alternative dispute resolution that allows participants to resolve their disputes outside of court. An impartial third party, known as a mediator, guides the discussion between the opposing parties to try and develop a parenting time schedule that is in the child’s best interest and that works for their unique circumstances. A divorce mediator will strive to help the parties reach common ground and hopefully come to a settlement that prevents time-consuming and perhaps costly litigation.
Your family law attorney from Webster & Garino LLC can join you in mediation to provide you with legal advice on what type of agreement you should reach. At our professional law firm, we understand the importance of quality time during the holidays for a parent-child relationship. From Thanksgiving Day to Christmas Day, you deserve to experience the holiday season with your child.
To learn more about our family law mediation services, call Webster & Garino LLC.
Addressing Parenting Time Disputes
What happens when one parent refuses to follow the ordered or agreed parenting time schedule? The circumstances of your particular order will determine the next steps. If your order has specific provisions regarding parenting time that you can prove the other party is intentionally refusing to follow, then you can possibly seek assistance from the Court.
If your order requires the two parties to try to come to a resolution on their own before seeking the assistance of the Court, then one of our Westfield family law attorneys can assist you with how to select a mediator to assist you prior to seeking assistance from the Court. We can even advise you whether we recommend Court as an option based on your particular circumstances.
A parent might refuse to drop off a child for a holiday, holiday break from school, or even weekend parenting time. A parent confronted with the other parent’s outright noncompliance should make another attempt to work out a solution with the co-parent. This is an essential step before involving a family court. Judges want to see that people have made honest efforts to resolve their differences of opinion.
Before deciding your next steps, we recommend you seek a Westfield Family Lawyer to help. We will review the divorce decree or custody order and parenting guidelines, account for all child factors related to the dispute, and offer a legal interpretation about which parent should have the child for the holiday or other parenting time. If parents still cannot agree, then an attorney might file a motion with a court that describes the other parent’s failure to comply with a child custody arrangement. A judge will subsequently decide how to proceed.
If you’re involved in an active parenting time dispute, call Webster & Garino LLC today for fast and reliable parenting time guideline help.
Contact Webster & Garino LLC for Compassionate Family Law Mediation
We get it – no one wants to be away from their children on important holidays. If the parenting time schedule is left up to the State’s guidelines, it is out of the parent’s control when they will see their child. Working with an experienced family law mediator and family law attorney from Webster & Garino LLC can help expand your opportunities to experience quality time on holidays in your child’s best interest.
With decades of experience in family law mediation, we understand the importance of parenting time for all parties. We will fight for your right to modify existing parenting time orders so that your children spend an equitable amount of time with you on holidays. Contact Webster & Garino LLC to make an appointment to discuss your family law mediation needs today.
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