In divorce and custody cases, the court must decide the arrangements and responsibilities for each parent regarding the child’s physical, financial and legal support. A parenting plan outlines the custody and parenting time for the parents. Once the parenting plan is completed, it becomes a part of the court order in the divorce or custody case.
A parenting plan can be general or detailed. A general parenting plan contains an outline of parental responsibilities, and parenting time is allocated between the parents. The plan must state the minimum amount of parenting time and access the noncustodial parent can have. The general parenting plan may also provide a provision that allows the parents to make a more detailed plan without going through the formal court process.
A detailed parenting plan outlines in detail the terms of each parent’s rights, responsibilities and decision-making authority regarding the child. The court must develop a detailed parenting plan if either parent requests it or cannot establish a parenting plan together. In the detailed parenting plan, provisions are related to:
- Residential schedule
- Weekends
- Holiday, birthday, and vacation planning
- Access to and sharing of information
- Transportation
- Relocation
- Communication access
- Methods for resolving disputes
Under Oregon law, a detailed parenting plan may include one or both of requirements, stating:
- The custodial parent must notify the noncustodial parent about a specific matter concerning the child
- The custodial parent must allow the noncustodial parent to comment on particular issues concerning the child
Even when parents can create a parenting plan together, the court must still review it to ensure that the terms are in the child’s best interest. The court may remove or add provisions as it sees fit or as required under state law. For example, the court must include in the parenting plan that neither parent may move to a residence more than 60 miles from the other parent without reasonable notice of the change of residence. The relocating parent must also provide a copy of the notice of relocation to the court.
To learn more about parenting plans, visit https://grmfamilylaw.com/.