When you separate from your child’s other parent, you need a parenting plan. Sometimes parents can agree to a parenting plan. Other times they need the help of the court to come up with a plan.
When you divorce or live apart from your child’s other parent, it is important that you develop a plan that describes how each of you will spend time with your child separate from the other parent. Each county court offers mediation where professionals help parents come up with a parenting plan agreement.
There are different types of cases and papers you can file to ask for a child custody and visitation (parenting time) order. Which type of case or papers you can file depends on your situation, like whether you and the other parent are married or you already filed a family law case.
If there's a history of domestic violence in a family, judges use special laws to help protect children when making decisions about child custody.
