Summer Parenting Time

In divorces involving children or in paternity actions, the Court will issue an order to parents outlining parenting time, which is the time each parent has the child in their care. In Indiana, most cases follow the Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines (“IPTG”) to establish this parenting time schedule. During the Summer, additional time is available for noncustodial parents so that they can spend more time with the child when the child is not in school. This encourages both parents to take vacations and to spend more time with the child.

Generally, parents are given the opportunity to work out a parenting time schedule on their own without court intervention. In the event that parents cannot come to an agreement, the Court will be tasked with creating a parenting time plan. If parents are able to agree, the schedule must be made in writing, signed by both parents, submitted to the Court, and approved by the Court. When the Court makes up a parenting time schedule, it bases the schedule on the IPTG. These guidelines are recommendations that represent the minimum time a parent should be allowed to have with their child to maintain frequent, meaningful, and continuing contact with the child.

For children five and older, the IPTG recommend that both custodial and non-custodial parents should have approximately half of the Summer with their child. For the purpose of determining parenting time, Summer is set to begin the day after the child’s school lets out for break and ends the day before the child returns. The IPTG also recommend that the Summer either be split into two blocks of time, or that each parent has their full time exercised all at once. The non-custodial parent has the right to choose their dates, which is done by submitting notice to the custodial parent by April 1. If the non-custodial parent does not give this notice in time, then the custodial parent selects the dates that they want for the Summer.

If the child attends Summer school, then the parent exercising parenting time during the Summer school session shall be responsible for transportation to and the child’s attendance of Summer school. If the non-custodial parent takes more than two consecutive weeks of parenting time, then the custodial parent has the right to regular parenting time schedule, meaning a mid-week visit and alternating weekends. Summer parenting time will not impact of the holiday parenting time created by the court. While there may be more considerations with regard to Summer parenting time, this is the basis for most Summer parenting time schedules.

If you have any questions about your summer parenting time plan, please contact McNeelyLaw LLP by calling (317)825-5110.

Disclaimer: This McNeelyLaw LLP publication should not be construed as legal advice or legal opinion of any specific facts or circumstances. The contents are intended for general informational purposes only, and you are urged to consult your own lawyer on any specific legal questions you may have concerning your situation.