Supervised Visitation

 Posted on September 16, 2015 in Child Custody

If the court determines that shared custody between you and your former spouse is not in your child's best interest, it might opt to give the parent that did not get custody visitation rights. But these rights might come with certain restrictions. This is known as supervised visitation.

Why Would I Be Granted Supervised Visitation?

You can be given supervised visitation with your child for a variety of reasons. A few examples of these reasons include:

• Your criminal record or that of a household member;
• Current or past drug addiction;
• A history of neglect;
• A history of domestic violence from you or another member of your household; or
• A record of dangerous behavior, such as drunk driving.

If you are granted supervised visitation with your child and you want to change your custody order to allow for unsupervised visitation or even shared custody, you need to eliminate the dangerous elements in your household to prove to the court that you can be trusted with your child and that an unrestricted relationship with you is in his or her best interest. You can petition to the court regarding your changed circumstances once your custody order has been in place for at least two years.

What Types of Restrictions Could Be Imposed?

The restrictions that are imposed on your visits with your child are determined by the court after it examines all elements of your household and lifestyle. If it feels that any of these elements could be harmful to your child, the court might make the following requirements to protect him or her:

• Requiring that another adult be present during the visits. This adult might be a social worker or therapist or your former partner;
• Forbidding overnight visits;
• Requiring that the visits occur in a place other than your home, such as your child's home or a public place; or
• Barring you from certain behaviors, such as religious practices deemed to be harmful to your child, during your visits.    

If you have supervised visitation with your child, comply with the restrictions. Violating the restrictions imposed by the court can negatively impact your future interactions with the family court and in some cases, be grounds for a contempt of court charge. If you face any legal action over your child custody order, work with an experienced family attorney to be sure that your rights and interests are fairly represented in court.

Kane County Child Custody Attorneys

Adjusting to a supervised visitation schedule can be very difficult for you and for your child. For legal representation as you manage your child custody case, contact Goostree Law Group to schedule your free legal consultation with our firm. During this consultation, we can discuss the particular details of your case and determine the best way for you to handle it with the court. We are a team of experienced Kane County child custody attorneys. Do not wait to contact us – we are here to advocate for you and your child.

Sources:

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?ActID=2086&ChapterID=59&SeqStart=8300000&SeqEnd=10000000

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=075000050K607.1