Family courts usually believe that it is in the best interest of a child to maintain contact with both parents after a divorce. However, in cases where visitation may pose a risk to a child’s safety or wellbeing, a judge may order supervised visitation. Through supervised visitation, a parent may continue to maintain a bond with their child until the situation changes and a judge deems it safe for unsupervised visitation to occur.
A Temporary Situation
Supervised visitation is typically designed to be temporary. When a judge orders supervised visitation, it may be for a few months, giving the parent an opportunity to change or rectify the issues that ultimately led to supervised visitation. If a judge determines that the visits support the best interests of the child, all restrictions may be lifted or the parent may receive more frequent, longer, and less restrictive visits. That said, if the parent does not make any changes, supervised visitation may continue indefinitely.
Below is a list of situations in which supervised visitation might be ordered:
- There is a history of alcohol or drug abuse
- There is a threat of parental abduction
- There is a history of neglect or domestic violence
- The parent and child never had a relationship
- To reintroduce the parent and child after a period of separation
- To give the parent the opportunity to work on specific issues that may be harmful to the child
Supervised visitation can also potentially incur some costs if a parent is ordered to use a professional provider to monitor the visits. If the court allows a non-professional, such as a friend or family member, to supervise visitation, that person will not be paid for monitoring the visits.
Discuss Your Visitation Case with an Experienced Family Law Attorney Today!
If you are seeking supervised visitation or supervised visitation was ordered in your case, reach out to the family law team at Cynthia Tracy, Attorney at Law, P.C. for the skilled assistance you need. Backed by more than 30 years of experience and a track record of successful results, you can trust that our attorney has what it takes to obtain the best outcome possible for your case.
Reach out to our law firm today at (281) 612-5443 to set up a consultation with our knowledgeable attorney to get started on your supervised visitation case and learn more about what we can do to help you.
