parenting-plan

# Parenting Plan

Drafts an enforceable parenting plan tailored to jurisdiction requirements, party circumstances, and the child's best interests.

## Prerequisites

Gather before drafting:

1. **Jurisdiction** — filing state (controls terminology, presumptions, required forms)
2. **Parties** — full legal names, addresses, children's names/DOBs
3. **Case info** — court, case number, related proceedings
4. **Existing orders** — prior custody/temporary orders, mediation recommendations
5. **Preferences** — desired arrangement, work schedules, geographic constraints
6. **Financials** — income data, insurance coverage, existing support orders

## Quick Start

1. Confirm jurisdiction → research state statutes, terminology, and model plan forms
2. Collect party information and existing orders
3. Draft custody framework (legal + physical) using state-preferred terms
4. Build detailed parenting time schedule with specific days/times/locations
5. Allocate decision-making authority by category
6. Add financial, relocation, travel, and dispute resolution provisions
7. Include execution blocks with jurisdiction-specific requirements

## Plan Sections

### 1. Parties and Case Information

Include parents (names, addresses), children (names, DOBs), court details, and any jurisdiction-required identifiers (DL numbers, partial SSNs).

### 2. Custody Framework

Draft **legal custody** and **physical custody** separately:

- **Legal custody** — joint or sole; if joint, specify categories requiring mutual agreement vs. independent decision and tie-breaking mechanisms
- **Physical custody** — primary or joint; designate primary residential parent if applicable
- Research state presumptions (many presume joint legal custody)
- Use jurisdiction's preferred terminology ("parenting time," "time-sharing," "custody," "residential schedule")

### 3. Parenting Time Schedule

Address each with **specific days, times, and locations**:

| Category | Specify |
|---|---|
| Regular weekly | Days/overnights with each parent |
| Weekends | Alternating pattern, pickup/return times |
| Midweek visits | Day, pickup/dropoff times |
| Summer | Division method, notice requirements |
| School breaks | Fall, winter, spring — alternating by year |
| Holidays | Two-year rotation (A/B alternating pattern) |
| Birthdays | Child's, each parent's, Mother's/Father's Day |
| Special days | Cultural/religious observances |

**Holiday rotation:** Create an even-year/odd-year table covering major holidays (New Year's, MLK, Presidents' Day, Spring Break, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Winter Break 1st/2nd half).

**Exchange logistics:** Specify location (school, residence, neutral site), transportation responsibility, and late pickup/no-show protocol.

### 4. Decision-Making Allocation

| Category | Subcategories | Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Education | School selection, special ed, tutoring, extracurriculars | Joint / Sole |
| Healthcare | Routine, emergency, mental health, dental, vision | Joint / Sole |
| Religious | Upbringing, participation, ceremonies | Joint / Sole |
| Extracurriculars | Sports, arts, camps | Joint / Sole |

Include consultation timeline for major decisions (e.g., 30 days' written notice), emergency unilateral action definition, and escalation path before court.

### 5. Communication Protocols

- **Parent-child contact** — phone/video schedule when with other parent; age-appropriate tech guidelines
- **Record access** — both parents' rights to school/medical records (cite FERPA for education)
- **Co-parent communication** — method (email, co-parenting app), response times (routine: 48 hrs; urgent: 24 hrs; emergency: immediate)

### 6. Financial Provisions

- **Child support** — reference state guidelines; specify payor, amount, frequency, payment method
- **Shared expenses** — allocation table covering uncovered medical/dental, insurance premiums, childcare, school expenses, extracurricular fees with split ratios and reimbursement deadlines (typically 30 days)
- **Documentation** — requirements for reimbursement requests

### 7. Relocation Provisions

- **Notice** — state-mandated period (typically 30–90 days) and distance threshold
- **Contents** — new address, move date, proposed revised schedule, reason
- **Objection** — timeline and method for non-moving parent
- **Burden of proof** — applicable standard (varies by state)

### 8. Travel

- Advance notice for out-of-state travel (typically 14–30 days)
- Itinerary and contact sharing requirements
- Passport possession and international travel consent
- If abduction risk: UCCJEA references [VERIFY], ne exeat provisions, passport surrender

### 9. Dispute Resolution

Mandatory escalation sequence:

1. Good-faith negotiation (14 days)
2. Mediation — selection process, cost split, timeline
3. Parenting coordinator (if jurisdiction recognizes)
4. Court petition — emergencies or ADR exhaustion only

### 10. Modification and Review

- Standard: substantial change in circumstances affecting child's best interests
- Optional: scheduled review at developmental milestones (school entry, adolescence)
- All modifications must follow state filing requirements

### 11. Execution and Filing

- Signature blocks for both parents with dates
- Jurisdiction-specific requirements: notarization, witnesses, attorney certification
- Effective date clause; "subject to court approval" if required
- Attach mandatory state cover sheets, certifications, or declarations

## Pitfalls

- **Vague language kills enforceability** — use specific dates, times, deadlines; never "reasonable time"
- **Jurisdiction mismatch** — always research filing state statutes and terminology before drafting; many states publish model plans
- **Generic boilerplate** — incorporate actual party facts (work schedules, geography, prior arrangements)
- **Age-inappropriate schedules** — infant/toddler plans differ significantly from adolescent plans; adjust for developmental stage
- **Advocacy tone** — draft as bilateral agreement, not adversarial; avoid characterizing either parent
- **FRE 408** — if part of settlement negotiations, include confidentiality language
- **Unverified citations** — mark any unconfirmed statutory reference with `[VERIFY]`