When Your Ex Won’t Follow Through with Custody Arrangements During the Holidays

As part of your divorce proceedings, the courts outlined your parenting plan and time-sharing arrangement, and you and your ex are legally required to abide by it. Failure to do so may result in contempt of court.

Despite the repercussions, however, it still happens, and during the holidays, your ex may feel particularly emboldened to deviate from the time-sharing plan. If your ex is ignoring the court-ordered custody exchange schedule, there are steps you can take.

• Contact your attorney and have her send a letter to your ex – A strongly written letter from an attorney may be enough to resolve the issue with your ex, as the letter will also call out potential legal penalties they may face if they do not comply with the custody arrangement.
• Adhere to your part of the plan – While you may feel tempted to retaliate if your ex is not following the rules of the plan, resist the temptation to take part in their behavior. Stick to your time-sharing plan. Take the high road. Doing so will also work in your favor if you need to go to court as it will demonstrate your reliability and responsibility in adhering to the plan.
• Keep documentation – Evidence will help your case if you need to take legal action. Keep records of any written correspondence with your ex or other parties and take notes of when the violations occurred.
• Take legal action, if necessary – With your lawyer’s guidance, you may consider filing for contempt of court or attempting to pursue further changes to the custody order depending on the situation.

At Vasquez de Lara Law Group, we understand just how stressful the holidays can be for families. If your ex is not following through with your time-sharing plan, don’t delay in contacting us today to discuss your situation.