Summer custody disputes that a judge may not resolve

With Memorial Day passing, kids are likely itching for the last days of school to be over so that summer vacation can begin. For children of divorced parents, it may mark a transition where non-custodial parents will begin to spend a great deal of time with their children. This may create some disputes over parenting time and exchanges, as well as paying for what the kids will be doing over the summer.

Day camps are popular excursions for kids, as are sports or dance camps. But before you seek legal intervention to impose your will on the other parent for additional money to pay for your child’s activities, it is important to know what to expect.

Essentially, there are several disputes that Clark County family court judges do not want to be a part of. They generally do not want to make any value judgments regarding parents’ choices of activities. So if dad wants the children to do math academies during the summer and mom wants basketball camps, the court is not going to pick one over the other.

In the same vein, the court is generally not going to make parenting time decisions based on the activities that are allowed at one parent’s house compared to another. For instance, if one parent allows unlimited video game time while the other prohibits it, judges will expect parents to work out their differences.

Of course, there are always exceptions. Where kids are in imminent danger or subject to verbal or emotional abuse, judges will take action. A consultation with an experienced family law attorney is a good starting point.

Source: Hanfordsentinel.com “Life notes: Summer parenting,” Andrew Cromwell, May 17, 2014