Child custody and visitation matters in Virginia are often documented in unique agreements and orders. These documents are legal reports that outlines what rights each of a child’s parents has regarding the child’s care and physical support. In Virginia, child custody can be shared between the parents or may be given solely to one of the parents.
When a parent lacks physical custody over their child, they will not have the right to have their child to live in their home with them. This does not mean, however, that a parent will never have an opportunity to see their child. Non-custodial parents can secure visitation time based on the best interests of their kids.
Visitation options can range from extensive to limited. Many non-custodial parents are able to have extended periods of visitation with their children without the supervision of third parties. However, if a court determines that a child’s safety or health may be threatened during unsupervised visitation with their non-custodial parent then their visits may be required to happen in the presence of an appointed third party.
When parents and children are unable to live near each other, courts and families may have to look into diverse options to protect the important relationships that exist between them. For some families, it may be necessary to incorporate information about virtual visitation into their parenting plans so that parents and kids can connect remotely to share in each other’s lives.
Different families will have different post-separation or divorce child custody situations to work through, and as such there is no way to predict exactly how a unique child custody negotiation will resolve. Courts strive to make decisions that protect the best interests of children and ensure that they are properly cared for when their parents go through relationship changes. Visitation is an important legal topic and parents can work with family law attorneys to learn more about how it may impact their cases.