What Will a Parenting Plan Do?

Parenting plans are part of many divorces that involve children. These plans play a role in how the children will be raised after the divorce, and knowing what a parenting plan is and what this process will require is important for preparing your plan. Otherwise, you may not reach the divorce outcomes you want. Feel free to talk about this with an Oklahoma City family lawyer to explore what steps this requires.

Basics of a Parenting Plan

A parenting plan is like a template that lays out which parent will do what for each child. Making a parenting plan is a serious task because the finalized plan will be enforced by the court. This means changing the parenting plan may not always be possible once the judge finalizes the court order.

Parenting plans cover a wide range of ways to manage the children after the divorce. Most parenting plans involve court orders related to:

• Physical child custody
• Visitation hours and scheduling
• Legal custody of the children
• How parents will handle disagreements

Feel free to search online for parenting plan templates and forms to fill out for the State of Oklahoma. Consider contacting an Oklahoma City divorce lawyer to gain guidance on creating your own proposed parenting plan. An experienced lawyer can work on a solid parenting plan with you to propose to the judge.

Whether the judge approves the parenting plan depends on whether you and your ex-spouse agree. If your ex-spouse disagrees with any aspect of the parenting plan, the decision will need to go to trial. During the divorce trial, the judge will decide what parts of the parenting plan to enforce based on the best interests of the child standard.

Remember, changing a parenting plan is not impossible but rare. Certain conditions and reasons must be met to change a parenting plan after the plan has already been finalized.

What if the Parenting Plan is Violated?

In some cases, you might find yourself frustrated because your ex-spouse is not following the parenting plan. The first step is to talk with your ex-spouse about this to see if you can work it out. When you cannot work this out on your own, try talking with a lawyer about options.

If your ex-spouse violated child visitation orders, for example, you might be able to file a contempt action. Filing a motion to enforce visitation rights is another option. Some of these options may involve going to court to prove the violation or responding to a dispute with your ex-spouse.

In either case, consulting with an experienced divorce lawyer can be helpful. A lawyer will be able to give you more information on what legal options you have for other violations of the parenting plan.

Family Attorney in Oklahoma City

Putting together a parenting plan can be difficult when your ex-spouse disagrees with you. Consider working with an Oklahoma divorce lawyer to see what your options are. Call the Putnam Law Office by dialing (405)-849-9149 for a consultation today about your divorce. We might be able to help you obtain the divorce outcomes you desire. Mr. Putnam is an experienced attorney in Oklahoma City, OK who is prepared to defend your divorce case.