Domestic Relations Committee to meet in November to Finalize Proposed Amendments to the Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines

The Domestic Relations Committee [DRC] of the Indiana Judicial Center had been scheduled to meet on Friday, 21 October 2011 but that session was canceled. The next session of the DRC will be on Thursday and Friday, 17-18 November 2011.

The Committee has been working on amending Indiana's Parenting Time Guidelines [IPTG]. Public input has been received and numerous recommended changes will be proposed.

Among the notable changes will be a simplification of the Winter Break/New Years Day schedule. Also, the ambiguous language surrounding resumption of the regular parenting time schedule following a change because of the holiday schedule will also be included. Since its first publication the rule regarding whether a parent can have only two consecutive weekends or three has confounded parents, attorneys and judges.

It is the express intent of the Committee that the time children spend with both parents is maximized and that the Guidelines be used as guidelines only and are not viewed as the default parenting time schedule as has been commonplace since their inception.

Language will be included to instruct parents, lawyers and judges that the Guidelines are to be used as a starting point from which individual parenting time plans, conducive to the best interest of the children while maximizing their time with the parents, can be constructed.

In addition to the Parenting Time Guidelines the Committee also prepared rules for Parenting Time Coordination. These rules will be integrated with the IPTG.

The final proposed draft of the amended Guidelines will be presented to the Indiana Supreme Court for adoption.

Generally the adoption of rule changes become effective on January 1 of the following year.

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More information about child custody rights and procedures may be found on the Indiana Custodial Rights Advocates website.

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