What Do the Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines Mean For A Non-Custodial Parent?
The Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines and commentary set forth when a non-custodial parent should have the kids. They were adopted by the Indiana Supreme Court and are presumed to apply to all custody orders issued by all of Indiana’s trial courts.
The Guidelines are focused on a child’s physical and emotional needs from infancy through adulthood. For infants and toddlers, the Guidelines provide less-lengthy, but more-frequent, time to the non-custodial parent. Ultimately, during school years, the Guidelines anticipate parenting time one evening (night) during the week and every other weekend.
The parents rotate holidays and equally divide the summer parenting time. However, these are only Guidelines and anticipate a spirit of cooperation between the parents. In addition, the Guidelines may be modified by agreement of the parties, so long as the court approves and orders an alternative-parenting plan.
The ambiguities and alternative provisions of the Guidelines provide fabulous flexibility for parents to meaningfully participate in rearing their children. On the other hand, they sometimes enable less-agreeable parents to fight about what these provisions mean. Everyone subject to the Guidelines should download a copy and review them. Click here to download a copy of the Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines.
Where parents may disagree and have disputes, or actually do have issues, skilled family-law counsel may advise a number of tools and techniques to alter or eliminate this agreement. Ultimately, a trial court can order these if that is what it takes to meet the children’s best interests. If you have questions regarding these guidelines, you should seek legal counsel.