In a prior post, we highlighted a number of ways that parents who encounter trouble obtaining parenting time for Halloween can resolve this issue. With the annual night of fright and fun coming this weekend, we hope our readers have abated the parenting time issues that can arise.
Resolving parenting time issues is important not only for children (as they deserve to spend time with both parents), but also because Halloween is commonly a dry run for how holiday parenting time disputes will be handled. It is only a matter of time until Thanksgiving and Christmas will be coming, and if you are having disputes over parenting time at this juncture, it is imperative that you take steps to resolve them now.
While the preceding is not intended to legal advice, it exemplifies how slow and time consuming the legal process can be for those with parenting time issues. It could be weeks before you are seen by a judge if a parenting time dispute is filed.
Indeed, this is why many courts encourage parties to participate in mediation or some other form of dispute resolution before coming (or coming back) to court for a legal remedy. With that said, it is important to consult an experienced family law attorney to learn about your rights and options about parenting time. It could mean the difference between being able to spend the holidays with your children and only dreaming about it.
In the meantime, we wish our readers a Happy Halloween.