When it comes to determining the rights of the involved parties in family legal situations, visitation rights are extremely important. In a nutshell, visitation rights refer to a legal arrangement between parents, or guardians, and the court that grants them access to their child, even if they do not possess primary custody of that child.
Visitation rights can also refer to a legal document that grants visitation privileges to a non-custodial parent, but guardianship, or court-appointed custody, typically includes visitation rights as part of the arrangement. Specifically, visitation rights provide a framework of the amount of time a non-custodial parent can spend with the child as well as what times of day and who is to provide transportation to and from the visits.
Visitation Rights in Modern Times
In today’s society, visitation rights have become one of the most important mechanisms for protecting a child’s right to nurture and upbringing from both of their parents or guardians. In court-ordered situations, visitation protocols are written specifically and comprehensively so that it can be enforced easily and in a timely manner.
Visitation rights also have a great impact on child support—after all, regularly seeing their child is of great value to a parent. Because of this, more courts are tending to acknowledge the tremendous value that a child receives from having access to both parents. That said, nonprofit organizations, such as Parents Without Partners and non-profit law centers, are stepping in to help families with understanding their rights and navigating the legal system.
Conclusion
Whether through court-mandated or voluntary arrangements, visitation rights are extremely important for protecting a child’s right to love and development from both parents. Not only is it important for nurturing growth, but it also gives both parties a sense of security knowing that they will be able to keep up their child’s connections with both of their parents.