West Virginia custody orders typically include specific terms for the division of parenting time. Both adults in the family should receive a certain number of overnight stays and sometimes even afternoon visits with the children. Each parent should show up on time for parenting sessions and provide for the children’s needs during their parenting time.
These arrangements likely divide not just day-to-day life but also special events like birthdays and holidays. Ideally, both parents commit to working together to make things as easy on the children as possible. But, occasionally, there may be disputes about shortened or canceled parenting time. When does one co-parent in West Virginia have the right to make-up parenting time?
When new commitments affect the schedule
Sometimes, as children mature, they begin engaging in extracurricular pursuits. They might help put on a local theater production or join a sports team. Their commitment to that activity might mean that they are unavailable for regularly-scheduled time with one of their parents. When the schedule for the children and the family changes, the adults may need to renegotiate certain terms and allow for one of the parents to make up time lost because of new activities.
When the other parent cancels
Occasionally, either parent may have something happen that forces them to change their custody schedule. If the parent anticipating time with the children falls ill and contacts the other parent to cancel a parenting session, they may not have the right to demand make-up parenting time. However, the other parent could still offer them make-up parenting time.
When one parent cancels the other’s parenting time, then they typically have an obligation to allow make-up parenting time should the other parent request it. Unfortunately, some people are less than enthusiastic about cooperating with their co-parents after a West Virginia divorce. They might refuse to schedule make-up parenting time or repeatedly cancel custody exchanges. Sometimes, one parent may need to request a hearing in family court to enforce or even modify the custody order because of their lost time with the children.
Learning more about the rules that typically apply to co-parenting arrangements, and seeking legal guidance accordingly, may help people navigate disputes about time with their children.