Make Your Summer Parent-Time Schedule Now!

The spring flowers are just starting to bloom, but summer will be here before you know it. This is a reminder to make your summer parent-time elections soon, if you have not already done so. If you don’t pick which weeks you would like to exercise your extended parent-time in advance, you may miss out on the opportunity to choose the times that work best for you.

Every court order is a little different, so begin by making sure you are complying with your decree’s timelines to pick summer weeks. If your decree does not specify deadlines for picking summer weeks, then you will want to follow U.C.A. 30-3-35(n), which reads as follows:

Both parents shall provide notification of extended parent-time or vacation weeks with the child at least 30 days before the end of the child's school year to the other parent and if notification is not provided timely the complying parent may determine the schedule for extended parent-time for the noncomplying parent.

So, know your decree’s deadlines or when the 30-day deadline is so that you can comply. Always notify the other parent of your choice in writing — via email or text — and keep a proof of when the notification was sent.

Generally, summer calendars continue the alternating weekends from the school year into the summer — that rotation is not changed by the summer holidays or the extended parent-time weeks. Begin by penciling in the regular schedule continuing the rotation from the school year unless your decree says something different. Next, add in the holidays over the regular rotation — the usual holidays are Memorial Day, Father’s Day, 4^th of July, 24^th of July, and children’s birthdays. Refer to your decree and/or U.C.A. 30-3-35 to know who gets which holidays and how long they last. Finally, pick your 14-day period for uninterrupted parent-time (and interrupted time if applicable to you) keeping in mind that you cannot take the other parent’s holidays without their written permission. Holidays take precedence over the extended summertime.

Making a calendar in advance and sharing that calendar with the other parent can go a long way toward avoiding last-minute conflicts over the schedule. It’s nearly impossible to get scheduling conflicts heard by the court on a last-minute basis. It’s only by planning in advance and being aware of conflicts that a hearing can be set in time to address the issue before it’s too late.

Need Help with Your Summer Parent-Time Schedule?

If you have questions or concerns about your summer parent-time schedule, a Pearson Butler attorney can provide you with patient, comprehensive legal counsel regarding these child custody and visitation matters. Our full-service firm has offices in South Jordan and Bountiful, making it easy for us to serve clients throughout the state of Utah. Call (800) 265-2314 or contact us online to get started with a free consultation today.