In most divorce cases, both parents will be permitted to see their children during special occasions, such as birthdays or holidays. This is true even if you win sole physical custody of your child. For many parents and ex-spouses, this present little trouble, as their child custody and visitation agreements drafted during the divorce already considered exceptional events. But what can you do if neither you nor your spouse had the foresight to plan about what to do for the holidays? Perhaps you had but now matters have changed considerably? Is there something that can be done, and soon?
In Michigan, divorced spouses are permitted to create their own “impromptu” child holiday visitation schedules without the need of courtroom intervention. For example, you may decide to allow your ex to see your children for half of Christmas Day, even though your preexisting agreement states they will be able to celebrate the holiday on the 26th. The deciding factor is how well you and your ex-spouse can get along. If you both do not explicitly agree to the unofficial modifications, nothing can be done.
CAREFUL PLANNING IS REQUIRED
Put yourself into the ideal scenario that involves you and your ex-spouse fully agreeing on a holiday child visitation schedule. Everything might seem great on the surface but you still want to be careful with how you proceed. If a disagreement comes up later, such as how long they are actually allowed to be with your children on Christmas, how should you proceed? Without a proper plan, things could become difficult.
Rather than relying on a verbal contract that can be flimsy in court, you should come to Rasor Law Firm and work with our Royal Oak divorce attorneys. Let us know what you would like to see happen this holiday and we can help you find the best legal pathway to get there, which may even including drafting an official agreement contract for both you and your ex to sign and follow. If things go south, at least this way will allow you to prepare fully for any obstacles ahead. Contact our Royal Oak divorce lawyer today for more helpful information.
