Protecting Your Child
Protecting your child’s health, safety, and well-being is your primary concern. But it can be difficult to do all these things when the other parent does not agree on custody or other parenting matters. In such cases, a parenting plan must be submitted to the court. A parenting plan will include the custody designation, a parenting time schedule, and provisions on other issues such as child care providers and procedures for holidays. A solid parenting plan is a legally enforceable document that helps ensure you get the time with your child you deserve and that your child’s best interests are protected.
Parenting plans protect your child by making agreements and arrangements between the parents legally enforceable. This means if one parent does not follow the plan, the other parent may be able to ask the court to take action. This is sometimes necessary when two parents do not agree on parenting matters. This ultimately hurts the child, making a parenting plan a valuable source of protection. Not only will the parenting time with each parent be enforceable, the child will experience more consistency in how he or she is treated by each parent.
For example, a parenting plan outlines a parenting time schedule, one of the most important components of a custody arrangement. If a parent deliberately does not follow the schedule by not allowing the other parent to spend time with the child, the other parent may have rights he or she can defend in court.
It is important to keep in mind that while you may be able to create a parenting plan using a basic standard template, the plan might not work best for your family. Working with a skilled New Jersey child custody attorney to create a parenting plan that is as unique as your family is can help ensure the plan can be followed and is effective. A tailored parenting plan that addresses the specific needs of your child can also reduce the chance the plan will need to be modified in the future.
Speak with an experienced New Jersey child custody attorney if you have questions about parenting plans. This is a very important document that can provide protections for your child’s health, safety, and well-being. Drafting a parenting plan is difficult. And if the other parent does not agree, you have some work to do. You may be ordered to go to mediation, but having an attorney provide you information and guidance can help ensure you are successful. An attorney can help you develop a parenting plan that is in your child’s best interests and present it to the court if you and the other parent cannot negotiate an agreement.
Do you have questions about New Jersey parenting plans? Williams Law Group, LLC can help you take the right steps to ensure your rights are protected and that your child’s best interests are served. Located in Union, New Jersey, Williams Law Group, LLC provides compassionate and dedicated legal services to Union, Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Monmouth, and Middlesex counties, and the surrounding areas. Our knowledgeable attorneys handle divorce and family law, child custody, and child abuse/neglect cases. Call our office at (908) 810-1083, email us at info@awilliamslawgroup.com, or contact us through our confidential online form to schedule a consultation and ultimately get you connected with an experienced New Jersey divorce and child custody attorney.