When Spouses Ignore Custody Agreements

A divorce places strain on the entire family, especially on the children involved. However, when you are going through a divorce, you will create a parenting plan that lays out how you and your ex-spouse will approach the parenting process. While this guide is helpful, sometimes individuals will ignore the established requirements according to the custody agreement.

Documenting Violations

If your ex-spouse has chosen to violate your custody agreement or parenting plan, it is important to keep evidence of this. Keep track of your schedules through a calendar or planner. Each time a violation occurs, take note of that in your schedule. If your spouse is supposed to pick up your child or drop them off and fails to without notice, document this in detail. In these cases, you can also turn to social media where posts and shared photos can provide timestamps of when violations occurred.

Try Having a Conversation

If violations are happening, you could try to discuss the situation outside of court first. If you are able to communicate with your ex-spouse, you could try starting this conversation yourself. Another option is to bring up issues that are occurring with your attorney. You could work together to write a letter to address both your ex-spouse and their attorney, addressing the violations that have occurred. Communication like this could potentially help you avoid going to court.

Filing For Contempt

If you have exhausted your other options and your ex-spouse is still not following your custody agreement, it might be necessary to take the issues to court. A contempt order will require your ex-spouse to appear in court and discuss why they are failing to adhere to the set plans. If they continue failing to meet their end of the agreement, it may be necessary to make adjustments.

Child Custody Attorney in Texas

Experiencing issues with your child custody agreement will only bring additional stress to you and your children after a divorce. An experienced attorney will be able to help guide you through these violations and make sure that the best interests of your children are attended to.

Call Michelle today at (817) 809-8199 to speak with her about your concerns regarding child custody.