Do I Need a Court Order to Visit My Child?

The aftermath of a divorce can be painful for everyone involved. If your Oklahoma divorce did not set up visitation hours for seeing your child, the healing process can be harder. This is especially true if your ex-spouse is keeping your child away from you. However, there might be a solution to this depending on your situation. Ask an Oklahoma divorce attorney about your legal options.

Are Court Orders Required for Visitation Rights?

Many people are surprised to learn that court orders are not required for visitation with their child. Unless the court has specifically ordered you to not see your child, you can visit your child. However, this mainly applies to people who have only separated from their spouse or who never married their spouse.

When it comes to visitation rights, divorces often involve court orders for child visitation. Since divorces involve legal issues, the judge often has to step in and mandate visitation schedules. Some parents, whether seeking a divorce or not, are able to reach a visitation plan on their own.

As long as you can come to an agreement with your spouse about visitation, you may not always need a court order. This can be done on your own, through mediation, or with the help of a lawyer. It is when couples disagree about visitation during a divorce that a judge has to step in.

If this is you, you will need to visit the family court to request a Visitation Order. This will involve looking at various aspects like your parenting history, ability to raise the child, and any instances of child abuse or neglect. Many factors can affect the outcome of a Visitation Order.

When My Visitation Hours Might Be Affected

Your visitation rights could be modified or removed depending on different factors. The termination of visitation rights may happen when parental rights are terminated. This tends to happen in cases of:

• Past or recent child abuse or neglect
• Sexual abuse to the child or others
• Criminal charges
• Abandoning the child
• Severe alcohol or drug abuse
• Major mistakes when caring for the child that impacts the child’s well-being
• Mental health that affects the ability to raise the child

The judge will assess other factors when determining visitation rights. Where the child will be visiting the parent might be taken into account if the conditions are unsafe. What the other parent reveals about parenting history may impact the judge’s decision. Try contacting an Oklahoma City divorce lawyer if you find yourself concerned about your visitation rights.

An experienced lawyer can help you weigh all your legal options. You may have a chance to obtain the visitation schedule you want.

Divorce Attorney in Oklahoma City

Losing your visitation rights to see your child can be heartbreaking. You may not have to let this happen if you talk to an Oklahoma family lawyer. Feel free to call the Putnam Law Office today at (405)-849-9149 for a consultation about your case. Our legal team can help you achieve the visitation outcomes you want. Mr. Putnam is an experienced attorney in Oklahoma City, OK who can help you defend your claim.