Child Custody Lawyer Parenting Plan Solutions During COVID-19

A child custody lawyer, despite the numerous challenges, continues to assist families with child custody and support issues during the COVID-19 outbreak. This is a stressful time for everyone, but ultimately, we all must do what’s best for the children. Your child custody lawyer can help find workable solutions for staying in compliance with your specific court-ordered parenting plan, including exchanges with the other parent, revising visitation schedules and more.

Across the Kansas City metro businesses are starting to reopen with stay-at-home orders being partially lifted for non-essential businesses. According to health experts, however, that doesn’t mean the virus is gone and that it’s safe to resume our normal activities. It is still important for people to avoid leaving their homes unless it is truly necessary and to continue to practice social distancing. Understandably, this creates a unique situation for people in the middle of a divorce or a custody case regarding their court-ordered parenting plans.

Due to court closures, if you are currently in the middle of a child custody case, you should expect some delays in in-person court hearings. Many actions are being heard remotely. If your court-ordered parenting plan calls for mediation for dispute resolution, it may still be available remotely, or modified to comply with the CDC’s social distancing recommendations. If there is an emergency involving your child’s safety you should contact your child custody lawyer as soon as possible.

To answer the question many of you have, yes – you do need to follow your parenting plan during the COVID-19 outbreak. The COVID-19 pandemic should not be used as an excuse to circumvent the orders of the court. In other words, exchanges need to take place as ordered by your specific parenting plan. You should try to comply with government and CDC recommendations for public exchanges. 

If someone in either household has tested positive for coronavirus, it will most likely be necessary to alter your parenting plan in order to protect your children and other household members from contracting the virus. Unfortunately, being under quarantine makes it even more difficult to comply with parenting plans, but your child custody lawyer can help by offering a better solution, such as videoconferencing.

Video chats with the other parent via FaceTime, Skype, Zoom or other similar programs can and should take place as frequently as possible. This is an unprecedented time and you and your spouse should do everything you can to cooperatively protect both of your households while staying in compliance with your parenting plan. It’s important that you do everything you can to maintain a consistent visitation schedule that includes parenting time for both of you.

Although this is a confusing time in Kansas City, a child custody lawyer at the Levy Craig Family Law Firm, is here to help. We are available to schedule telephone or video conferences and meetings, answer any and all questions, and draft and file documents and pleadings.

Please call 816-454-7474 – Kim Scheuerman or Nathalie Elliott is happy to assist you.