Knowledgeable Family Law Representation

What is a time-share arrangement?

On Behalf of | Apr 12, 2021 | Child Custody, Divorce |

The state of California offers four different time-share agreements for divorced parents with children. To figure out a fair agreement, the judge might consider each parent’s schedule and how much they can be trusted with their children. Ideally, both parents would get equal time with their children, but that’s not always in their children’s best interests.

What are the four different time-share arrangements?

The first time-share arrangement is scheduled visitation, which is what most people think of when they think about child custody. This option is best for parents who don’t get along or have trouble coming up with a schedule themselves. This arrangement involves a strict schedule that the parents must follow, although they could request a modification if the schedule doesn’t work out for them.

The second time-share arrangement is reasonable visitation. Your divorce attorney might suggest this option if you have a good relationship with your former spouse. Instead of a strict schedule, the parents have an open schedule that they can figure out between themselves. This gives the parents more flexibility and creates a better atmosphere for their children.

If one parent can’t be trusted with the child, the judge might give them supervised visitation. This time-share arrangement allows the parent to visit their child under the supervision of another person. Finally, a parent might get no visitation if the judge has reason to believe that they pose a danger to their children. This time-share arrangement usually only happens in extreme situations.

Should you shoot for a strict schedule or a flexible arrangement?

An attorney could tell you which time-share arrangement is best for your situation. You might benefit from a flexible arrangement if you and your former spouse agree to share the responsibilities. However, you might need a strict schedule if you don’t trust your former spouse.