Going through a divorce is a process that nobody wants to go through. It is difficult and time consuming. The process is even harder when there are children involved. Who gets custody of a child can become a heated topic, charged with emotion.
You may find yourself in a situation where your former spouse gains full custody of your child. However, this does not mean that the other parent can keep you from seeing your child. You may need to find a child custody and visitation attorney in Salt Lake City. At the Ault Firm, we are ready to help you.
Types of Visitation
When you go through a divorce involving a child, many terms will be brought up at once. Unfortunately, some people find themselves losing physical custody of their child. If the other parent involved gets sole physical custody, it may seem like you have no options when it comes to seeing your child anymore. Worse, the other parent may tell you that you are not allowed to see your child.
Unless ordered by a judge, you do not lose your visitation rights.
There are a few types of visitation options available to you: unsupervised visitation, supervised visitation, and virtual visitation.
Unsupervised visitation is the most common. This is where the parent who does not have physical custody of the child is able to take the child on outings or to their home for specific periods of time.
Supervised visitation may be ordered and requires that the parent who does not have physical custody must have another responsible adult present while the visit is taking place. The parent who has custody is usually allowed to select the responsible individual, and this is often a family friend or grandparent. Sometimes, the responsible party must be a social worker or a court-ordered designee.
Virtual visitation utilizes video-conferencing technology and is an option available for non-custodial parents who may not live close to their child. While this is not ideal, it does provide a form of contact with the child.
Importance of Visitation
Visitation is an important part of the aftermath of parental separation. The child is likely confused by everything that has happened, and it is generally agreed upon that having both parents in the child’s life helps. Continuity and normalcy is a child’s life is important, and visitation is one way to help accomplish that.
We recognize that two parents may not get along well at all. The parent who gains sole physical custody may try to keep the other parent away, not because they want their child to not know them, but because they are genuinely emotional about the separation. This does mean it is okay to keep the non-custodial parent out of the child’s life.
If you’ve been denied visitation with your child by your former spouse, you may need to find a child custody and visitation attorney in Salt Lake City. The Ault Firm understands these situations and wants to help you navigate them as delicately as possible, while also ensuring your rights are upheld. You can contact us by clicking here or calling 801-539-9000
