Who Needs to File a Parenting Plan?

All parents, married or unmarried, who are legally separating or divorcing, need to file some form of parenting plan or agreement with their district court along with your divorce or separation paperwork. This protects your basic rights as a parent and allows you and your spouse/ex-partner to make the important decisions about your family’s welfare. If you do not file a Parenting Agreement the court will be forced to create and file one for you, which will most likely not be in the best interests for you or your children and should be your last option. 

Please keep in mind that if you file a “temporary” Parenting Plan when you initially file for a divorce or separation (which is often a prerequisite with the court), and the temporary plan appears to be working for the children before a decree or final judgment is entered (generally 90 days or longer), the judge will often order the temporary plan to become permanent. This is why it is critically important to create a well-crafted agreement that takes into account all of your needs right from the start.

You will never regret giving this agreement your full attention!

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