Three types of visitation orders in California

Parents in California who have decided to divorce may feel a sense of relief and may be eager to move on with their post-divorce life. However, if they have a child, they will want to make sure they still get to spend time with their child after the divorce is completed. The following is an overview of the types of visitation arrangements a parent who does not have primary physical custody of their child may pursue.

Scheduled visitation orders

Sometimes a visitation order will be based on a specific schedule that outlines the days and holidays a noncustodial parent will have visitation with their child. For example, a parent might have visitation every-other weekend, one night a week and on alternating holidays. Scheduled visitation has the benefit of preventing conflicts, and it can provide the stability parents and children need to thrive post-divorce

Reasonable visitation orders

That being said, sometimes a parent’s lifestyle does not allow for scheduled visitation. For example, a parent may travel frequently for their job or parents may want to have more flexibility when it comes to spending time with their child. In such cases, reasonable visitation may be ordered. This is an open-ended order that allows parents to work together to decide when the child will be in their care. Reasonable visitation can work very well if parents are on good terms with one another post-divorce. However, those in more high-conflict situations may want to pursue other types of visitation.

Supervised visitation

If the child’s safety or well-being is in jeopardy if they spend alone time with the noncustodial parent, then supervised visitation may be ordered. This means the noncustodial parent’s visitation time will be supervised by another adult or a professional. Sometimes supervised visitation is ordered if the child and the noncustodial parent have no relationship with one another and they need time to get to know one another.

Attorneys can be a useful resource for those seeking visitation

Ultimately, this post only provides a brief overview of visitation in California and does not contain legal advice. Parents in the Bay Area who are seeking visitation may be eager to spend time with their child. Family law attorneys understand visitation laws in California and may be a useful resource.