When you and your partner decide to go your separate ways, one of the most contentious issues you will need to resolve is parenting time. Separation and divorce can significantly impact your relationship with your children. While co-parenting is rarely easy, it can become must more difficult when one party ignores the agreed-upon parenting agreement. An occasional late dropoff of your children is one thing, but if your ex is guilty of habitual tardiness when it comes to your parenting schedule, you should consider your legal options. Please continue reading to learn what you can do if your ex doesn’t drop your child off on time and why connecting with a trusted Nassau County Child Custody Lawyer is in your best interest.
What Can I Do if My Ex Keeps Our Child Past Their Allotted Parenting Time?
When a custody agreement is reached, parenting time will be established. As its name suggests, parenting time is the designated time that each parent gets to spend with their children. When it comes to parental exchanges, if your ex is guilty of chronic lateness, it can be incredibly frustrating as it interferes with the established parenting routine. However, it’s important to remain calm and diplomatic. Life can easily get in the way, whether it’s traffic or they simply lost track of time, it’s normal for one or both parents to be late dropping off the kids once in a while. When an ex is consistently late, showing no respect for the other party’s time, it’s crucial to take action.
The first action you should take is to contact your ex and address the issue. If you can come to an understanding on your own, you can save a substantial amount of time and avoid the potential hassle of going to court. You should allow them the opportunity to explain themselves as there may be a valid reason for their lateness. If they fail to respond and you believe there is a chance that your child is in imminent danger, you should call the police. This is only necessary if there is a reasonable fear that your ex will not return the child or that they are in danger.
Can I Take Legal Action?
If you can get ahold of them, you should suggest solutions or comprises so that you can avoid further issues when it comes to each party’s allotted parenting time. If they are late on a regular basis, you can suggest modifying your current custody arrangement to one that works better for both of you. In the event they are not willing to hear your suggestions or continually ignore your parenting agreement, you can have the court intervene. It’s important to document each instance they are late as this evidence can help support your claim.
If your ex is disregarding their allotted custody time, you have the right to petition the court to enforce the custody order. Once a custody order is signed, it becomes a legally binding contract, meaning failure to comply with the terms can result in various legal repercussions. If your spouse violates your custody agreement, it’s in your best interest to contact a determined lawyer from the Law Offices of Eyal Talassazan, P.C., who can effectively represent your interests and protect your rights. Connect with our firm today to learn more.
