The Summer is here and you need a plan for sharing it with your ex
Summertime as well as Holidays are a wonderful time of year, but they are also a stressful time of year, especially if you are divorced or separated and your children look forward to spending time with both of you. You may already have a schedule for how to divide the holidays so that your children spend time with both of you, but sometimes you don’t and need some advice on how to go about that.
The important thing to do is to plan out the holiday parenting time in advance, so that if you can’t come to an agreement, you have enough time to go to Court if necessary. Remember, it’s always best when the parties can reach an agreement between themselves.
At the Rodriguez Law Firm, we take parenting time seriously and we work with clients to help come up with a summer and holiday schedule that works for them and the children. We take into account what the children’s previous summers and holidays have been like and any family traditions that may exist. We try to negotiate a schedule between the parties. We often start with a general schedule, which is used by the Courts during disputes of holiday parenting time.
Below is a Court Approved Holiday Schedule:
“The following holidays shall be alternated between the parties each year. Unless otherwise indicated those holidays shall run from 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.:
Christmas Eve, December 24th, 6:00 p.m. to Christmas Day, December 25th at 12:00 noon.
Mother odd years, Father even years
Christmas Day, December 25th, 12:00 noon to December 26th at 6:00 p.m.
Mother even years, Father odd years
New Year’s Eve Day, December 31st at 6:00 p.m. to New Year’s Day, January 1st at 12:00 noon.
Mother odd years, Father even years
New Year’s Day, January 1st at 12:00 noon to 6:00 p.m.
Mother odd years, Father even years
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Mother even years, Father odd years
President’s Day
Mother even years, Father odd years.
Easter Saturday through Easter Sunday
Mother even years, Father odd years.
Memorial Day
Mother odd years, Father even years
July 4th
Mother even years, Father odd years
Labor Day
Mother odd years, Father even years
SPECIAL DAYS:
Father’s birthday to Father (4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.)
Mother’s birthday to Mother (4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.)
Father’s Day to Father”
This schedule should be used as a starting point by the parties and modified to meet their needs. Once the parties have an agreement on the holiday schedule, our office can prepare a document that is called a Custody or Parenting Time Consent Order. This Order is signed by all parties and the Judge and has the same power as any Court Order.
What happens if we still can’t come to an agreement ?
If the parties still cannot come up with a resolution then going to Court may need to come next. If we need to file a motion, you want to make sure you have enough time. It generally takes a month to get a motion heard and you do not want to wait until November or December to address this. Sometimes motions can be heard on an emergency basis, as an Order to Show Cause, but some courts do not address holiday parenting time on an emergency basis, so do not rely on this as your only option.
Contact our office today to discuss your holiday parenting time schedule and help you make sure that you spend your holidays with your children in a stress free environment and with peace of mind.
Call us at 862-241-1228 or email info@rodriguezlawllc.com