A Short Introduction to Indiana Child Visitation Guidelines
Indiana law respects and understands that it is in both a parent and a child’s best interest to routinely spend time with each other, even when the parent is not the child’s primary residential parent. This can be difficult since it requires the scheduling of both parents around their child’s school and activity life, but it’s a more than worthwhile endeavor to expel energy upon. The Indiana child visitation guidelines exist to help guide parents as to schedules that are typically decided to be in the best interest of all the parties involved.
Indiana Child Visitation Guidelines—Schedules
The most problematic part of negotiating child custody is often times pinpointing exactly what your visitation schedule will be. Because of this, Indiana child visitation guidelines have a well-calibrated schedule that can be manipulated to fit perfectly the lives of most separated parents. the Indiana child visitation guidelines vary depending on the child’s age. Here are the examples:
• An infant up to 4 months old: Three non-consecutive meetings per week of up to two hours, with holiday visits and the possibility of one overnight visit per week depending on the parent’s past experience bringing up a child.
• From 4 months to 9 months: Three non-consecutive meetings of up to three hours, with holiday visits of up to three hours, and up to one overnight visit per week.
• From 10 months to 12 months: Three non-consecutive meetings, one of which must occur on a non-working day and which can therefore be extended for up to eight hours. The end of each visit must occur at least one hour before bed time, unless the one overnight visit is being exercised. Holidays may last up to eight hours. Once a week overnight visits are still possible.
• From 13 months to 18 months: The weekend visit is extended to ten hours, though scheduled holiday day remains at eight hours.
• From 19 months to 36 months: The child spends ten hours with the secondary residential parent on both of Saturday and Sunday of every other weekend. Weekday visits are lowered to one a week for up to three hours, holidays are extended to ten hours.
• From 3 years onward: The child spends alternating weekends with the child, from 6:00 P.M. Friday until 6:00 P.M. Sunday, with one weekday meeting of up to four hours so long as the child is returned no later than 9:00 P.M.. Holidays are split between the two parents.
Additional Complications
When the child is old enough to attend regular school, Indiana child visitation guidelines recommend that the child’s time be split in approximately half between the two parents. When the primary residential parent no longer lives with the child during these breaks for periods of two weeks or more, they are entitled to the usual rights afforded under Indiana child visitation guidelines to the secondary parent.
When the secondary residential parent lives a major distance from the child, regular meetings are no longer possible. Indiana child visitation guidelines recommend a seven week stay during the summer with the secondary residential parent along with at least seven days of winter vacation and all of spring break.
