When divorcing parents are able to communicate and work together, a judge may order reasonable visitation rights to the non-custodial parent. What this means is that the judge is asking the parents to come up with a visitation plan on their own. While the custodial parent may have more leverage in this situation, it does not mean that he or she can be inflexible toward the other parent.
If a parent is inflexible toward the other parent, it may be harder to get concessions from a judge in the future. It may also not be in the best interest of the child. However, a custodial parent is not bound to accept any visitation plan proposed by the other parent. In the event that a reasonable visitation plan doesn’t work out, it may be possible to go back to court to ask for a fixed visitation schedule.
A fixed visitation schedule is a set schedule ordered by a judge. The judge may order that the noncustodial parent has visitation on certain weeknights or during holiday weekends. A fixed visitation order may also include where the visitation is to take place. For instance, a judge may order that visitation take place at a mall or a restaurant to ensure the safety of all involved.
A parent who is going through a divorce may wish to speak to a family law attorney. The attorney may be able to help the client negotiate a reasonable child custody agreement that may make it unnecessary for a judge to intervene. If parents can show that they can work together, it may be better for the child and may make it easier to resolve other situations that may arise during the divorce or after it has been finalized.
Source: Findlaw, “The judge mentioned “reasonable visitation,” what does that mean? “, January 07, 2015
