On custody interference, and what you should do in response

As many divorced parents will tell you, the politics and issues inherent with a child custody arrangement can be very difficult to deal with. Even if both parents have good intentions, it can be a strain to stay organized and remain on schedule. Things change; life throws you a curveball; and yet the custody arrangement is the custody arrangement, and it must be followed.

However, you shouldn’t take that opening paragraph to mean that there isn’t some wiggle room in custody arrangements, or that it is impossible to negotiate a change in the arrangement. For example, when one of the parents in a divorced couple needs to move out of state — maybe for a new job or a medical emergency — then a specific process must be followed to ensure a change to the custody arrangement reflects the new reality.

Unfortunately, there are times where one of the parents tries to interfere with the custody arrangement, and this can lead to problems. A parent may intentionally be late to drop a child off at the other parent’s place; or maybe one parent doesn’t communicate well with the other. In these cases of interference, it is best for the “victim” parent to talk with his or her lawyer.

What you don’t want to do as the “victim” parent is retaliate. Don’t show up late to your former spouse’s place just to get back at him or her. Retaliation can result in major consequences for you. Review your custody arrangement with your attorney and take the best course of legal action.

Source: FindLaw, “Custody or Visitation Interference,” Accessed Feb. 12, 2016