Even after child custody has been determined, there are additional important decisions to be made-namely, the parenting plan. Parenting plans dictate when and under what circumstances parents trade time spent with their children. In Michigan, couples do have the opportunity to create these plans themselves, but if they cannot come to an agreement, the plan is decided on by the court.
As with child custody, establishing a parenting plan can be an emotional decision and the couple's judgment may be spurned or impaired by the pain the divorce process often produces. Securing the counsel of an experienced and insightful Michigan divorce lawyer is critical here-and FasTrack Divorce® is standing by to support you during this process.
What kind of parenting plans are there?
Parenting plans chiefly concern the guidelines for parenting time. In many cases, this is as simple as designating what days and times the children are with the noncustodial parent.
Types of parenting time to be determined in a parenting plan:
- Weekends
- Weeknights (usually after school)
- Holidays
- Vacations
- Phone calls
These are just some of the parameters a couple must decide in a parenting plan and, in light of finding balance and precedents for special scheduling cases, it can get complicated very quickly. FasTrack Divorce® has seasoned Michigan child custody attorneys that can provide a streamlined approach to this process and even provide a mediator for unresolved issues.
Supervised Parenting Time
In some cases, there might be some fear that the children aren't safe with the noncustodial parent. In that case, supervised parenting time might be pursued as an option. In this situation, another trusted adult is present with the noncustodial parent during parenting time.
The three kinds of supervised parenting time in Michigan:
- Third party supervision (family members, friends designated by the court)
- Therapeutic parenting time (under therapist supervision)
- Agency supervision (court appointed official or counselor)
Supervised visits are often difficult for the noncustodial parent to accept. These arrangements, however, do not have to be permanent. The secondary goal of supervised parenting time is to transition the noncustodial parent to unsupervised parenting time. The court will move towards this transition gradually as it monitors reports from the supervised parenting time.
Determine Your Parenting Plan Today
FasTrack Divorce® specializes in making the divorce process as painless as possible for families, parenting plans included. From determining parenting time schedules to filing the correct plan paperwork,
