What Happens If a Parent Is Denied Visitation

November 1, 2018

A judge or a custodial parent may deny visitation rights to a Pennsylvania noncustodial parent. A judge might do so if the child appears to be in danger with the parent, but it is otherwise unusual. A judge might also order supervised visitation in which the parent can only see the child with someone else present. Parents in either of these situations should comply with any court orders, such as a requirement to attend parenting classes, and they may want to speak with an attorney.

Custodial parents might deny visitation for a number of reasons ranging from a lack of child support payments to anger at the other parent. Failure to pay child support is generally not considered a valid reason to do so, however. Some noncustodial parents may be victims of Parental Alienation Syndrome. This occurs when one parent actively tries to turn the child against the other one.

A parent who is being denied visitation by the other parent should document the situation and try to talk to the other parent about it.

The custodial parent might be concerned about a new partner or other issues. If parents cannot work it out, it may be necessary to take legal action. This could include calling the police in order to get further documentation and filing a motion in court.

Changed circumstances might also require a modification in child custody. For example, if one parent is relocating some distance away, the visitation schedule may need to be changed. For minor or temporary alterations to the schedule, parents are usually encouraged to work it out themselves, but they may need to return to court for major changes.

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