Summer Visitation

It’s that time of year again, when you need to start thinking of your children’s summer visitation schedules.  Your children have probably already been out of school for a few weeks already, but it’s not too late to get started and get your summer organized.

The Twelfth Judicial Circuit Courts have made it easy for you.  They have created a guideline to help parents determine visitation throughout the entire year.  It is called the Shared Parental Responsibility Contact Guidelines.  The Guidelines are a tool that the Courts often use to help parents determine their visitation schedules when they otherwise cannot agree.  The schedule that is applicable in your case is dependent on your children’s ages; however, the schedule can be modified by an agreement of both parents.

Section II of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit Court Shared Parental Responsibility Contact Guideline provides for Summer Visitation.  It provides as follows:

GENERAL PROVISION – Summer visitation shall not begin until the summer between kindergarten and first grade.

Summer visitation shall not be added directly to regular overnight visitation; that is, there should be a break between summer visitation and regular overnight visitation.

Frequent telephone contact with the non-visiting parent and the child is strongly encouraged and daily contact is recommended for all age groups.  The parties shall confer and agree upon a schedule for telephone contact during summer visitation which is not less than that provided herein.

Parents are encouraged to arrange their summer visitation schedule by April 15 of the calendar year.  This will permit an orderly transfer of the children and minimize disruption in the parent’s and children’s lives.

A. CHILDREN BETWEEN KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE – The parties shall confer and agree upon a summer schedule for each parent consisting of three (3) blocks of five (5) days with at least seven days in between.  The non-visiting parent shall be afforded at least one (1) telephone call per day with the child.

B. CHILDREN BETWEEN FIRST AND FOURTH GRADE – The parties shall confer and agree upon a summer schedule for each parent consisting of two (2) blocks of ten (10) days with at least seven days in between.  The non-visiting parent shall be afforded at least one (1) telephone call every other day with the child.

C. CHILDREN AFTER FOURTH GRADE THROUGH AGE 18.  The parties shall confer and agree upon a summer schedule for each parent consisting of twenty one (21) continuous days.  The non-visiting parent shall be afforded at least (1) telephone call every three (3) days with the child.
In addition, the Guidelines have outlined regular visitation for the school year and have specific schedules for Holidays and Special Events.  Refer to the Guidelines to get an idea of what your summer visitation schedule should look like.

All you have to do now is refer to the Court Order that outlines your particular summer visitation and see what it says.  If you don’t have a Court Order regarding visitation or are having problems getting the opposing party to comply, call The Parker Law Group today.  We will help you get your summer visitation established.  It’s not too late to get your visitation set and enjoy your summer!