You have court ordered possession and access (visitation) and you want to see your child. You’ve been calling for weeks to see your child, but the other parent isn’t cooperating. You’ve sent text messages, left voicemails, sent emails, but you haven’t received a single response. You’ve had it! Ugh! What do you do now? Don’t pull your hair out, that’s for sure...
Here’s what you can do
“Go to the pick-up location on the day you are entitled to visitation, at the correct time, and get your child. Be sure to have your court order with you.”
ð 1. Just go get your child. If you have court ordered visitation, the other parent doesn’t have to “cooperate” with you in order for you to have your visitation. They are only obligated to follow the court order and make the child available for you. So go to the pick-up location on the day you are entitled to visitation, at the correct time, and get your child. Be sure to have your court order with you.
ð 2. Identify an ally. Consider if there is any person who knows both you and the other parent well enough who could help persuade them to give you a call back or to follow the court order and make the child available for pick-up at the start of your visitation. You never know, a neutral voice might allow cooler heads to prevail.
ð Take Notes. If both 1 and 2 fail, make a list. Write down all the dates and times you’ve called and/or gone to the pick-up location on the days you were entitled to visitation, and even the days you weren’t, only to come up empty-handed; then…
ð Take Action. If you have court ordered visitation, and you have been trying to visit with your child for weeks and months, and you feel like you’ve done just about all that you can do, but you keep coming up empty, you need to take legal action to enforce your rights to visitation.
By taking action you take control. With the help of a tenacious and skilled legal team, your rights can be enforced and you’ll be enjoying visitation with your child or children in no time.
The author can be reached at (713) 993-7310. If you would like more information or wish to discuss your specific situation, contact the lawyers and associates of D. Charles & Associates, PLLC at (713) 993-7310 or send us an email at info@dcharleslaw.com.