What Can I Do if My Ex Doesn’t Drop My Child Off on Time?

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When you and your partner decide to separate or get divorced that doesn’t mean that you stop being a parent. Co-parenting is rarely easy, but when your ex refuses to comply with your agreed-upon parenting plan it can make the situation even worse. If your ex fails to drop your child off back on time once or twice you may let it slide. If it has become a continuous issue, however, you should consider your rights and legal options. Please continue reading to learn what you can do if your ex keeps your child past their allotted parenting time and why connecting with a knowledgeable Ocean County Child Custody Attorney is in your best interest. 

What is Parenting Time?

When parents split, the court will address custody rights and parenting time. As its name suggests, parenting time is the designated time in which each parent gets to spend with their child. Essentially, it’s the right each parent has to see their child. Parenting time is often referred to as visitation time. When a parent actively disrupts the other party’s allotted custody time with their child it’s known as parental interference. When this occurs, it’s possible to ask the court to intervene.

What Can I Do if My Ex Continually Keeps Our Child Past Their Allotted Parenting Time?

When the court writes orders for custody, it’s important to comply with the parenting plan in place. If you are waiting for your ex to drop your child off and they are late, the first action you should take is to contact them and address the issue. Understandably, life can sometimes get in the way and there may be a valid reason for their lateness. If you speak to your ex, it’s best to do so over text or email. This will provide you with hard evidence of their habitual tardiness to support your claims. It’s important to document each instance your ex infringes on your parenting time.

If you get ahold of them, you should try to suggest solutions or compromises so you can avoid further issues in the future. If their chronic lateness has disrupted your routine on multiple occasions, you should suggest modifying the existing custody agreement to an arrangement that works better for both parties. If they are not open to your suggestions or continually ignore your parenting agreement, you should consider taking further action.

If a late drop-off rarely occurs, you can handle the issue outside of court. However, if they continuously return your child to you past their allotted custody time, you enlist the help of an experienced attorney who can help you petition the court to enforce your custody order. If the complaint is approved, the court will enforce the agreed-upon parenting agreement.

Connect with our dedicated legal team today to learn how we can help safeguard your parenting time. At the Law Office of Sarina Gianna, LLC, we are prepared to fight for you and your family.