When Can I Set Time Limits in My Oklahoma Parenting Plan?

Oklahoma parenting plans are legal documents made with the court that establish child custody, child support, and child visitation schedules for parents going through an Oklahoma divorce. If you have concerns about your ex-spouse spending time with your child, then you may have the option to limit the amount of time your ex-spouse is allowed to spend with your child. This can be done by setting time limits on visitation hours. If you ever encounter any obstacles to this, you can always contact an Oklahoma Divorce Lawyer for help.

Ways to Request Parenting Time Limits in Oklahoma

Requesting Oklahoma parenting plans can be done through the family court. You are allowed to request and make modifications to the original parenting plan if there has been a significant change in circumstances or if you have good reasons for the modifications. However, when you want to set time limits on visitation hours between your child and ex-spouse, you will need to meet one of the following conditions:

• Limiting parenting time will prevent psychological or physical harm to your child.
• Your ex-spouse was convicted of a federal crime.
• Your ex-spouse abuses substances that could endanger your child.

Crimes that usually allow parenting time to be limited include assault, kidnapping, breaking parenting plan rules, incest, sexual misconduct, malicious punishment of a child, domestic abuse, and related criminal activity. For the parenting plan to be modified or include parenting time limits, you will need to demonstrate how not limiting visitation hours would harm your child or put your child at significant risk for harm.

Once this is done, the family court might be able to limit parenting time by decreasing the amount of time spent with your child, prohibiting substance use for a certain amount of time before visitation hours, mandating your supervision of the visitation, and order substance abuse treatment.

How Do Oklahoma Judges Make Decisions on Parenting Plans?

Oklahoma parenting plan decisions are made by family court judges but might be able to be taken care of by a mediator or your lawyers, as long as an agreement is reached. When a judge is left to decide when an agreement cannot be reached between you and your ex-spouse, the judge will go based on the following factors:

• Parenting skills from the past and present to determine whether your ex-spouse is fit to help raise your child.
• The strength of your child’s relationship with your ex-spouse.
• Emotional needs of your child.
• Parent work schedules.
• Your child’s relationship with siblings.
• Whether your ex-spouse has serious issues like abuse, substance abuse, mental illness, and related factors.

These factors are based on the Oklahoma best interests of the child standard, something that protects the child’s safety and emotional well-being in the long run.

Divorce Lawyer in Oklahoma

Modifying parenting plans may not always work without resistance from your ex-spouse or the court. Try seeking help from an Oklahoma Family Attorney if this has happened to you and you have concerns about your child. Contact the Putnam Law Office at (405)-849-9149 for a consultation today. Mr. Putnam is an Oklahoma City, Oklahoma attorney who is dedicated to his clients.