Sometimes, divorce can be an emotionally charged process, which can bring out unpredictable sides of the involved parents. The impact can be more severe if it involves children, especially if the parents have conflicting opinions regarding their upbringing, leading to disputes. These conflicts could become so severe in some scenarios that a parent may flee with the child.
When flight risks or other safety issues are present, the court typically takes an active role in addressing them and protecting the child. Specifically, parental abduction can be extremely dangerous, often requiring intervention from authorities. Fortunately, court orders can prevent these incidents if it is reasonable to believe that the risks exist, such as the following measures:
- Prohibiting or restricting the child from traveling abroad
- Making the court aware of the child’s travel details, such as the start and end dates
- Ordering supervised visitation with the flight-risk parent
- Requiring the child to have court approval before traveling out of the country or state
- Having another party to hold or store the child’s passport
These regulations can apply depending on the situation, primarily to allow both parties to perform their parental responsibilities while minimizing flight risks. Other methods can be relevant, depending on the severity of the case.
Knowing what to do about child custody issues
Aside from these concerns, other child custody issues may require legal intervention. Sometimes, the custody arrangement can become too unfavorable for one parent to comply, or the custodial parent could want to relocate with the child after the divorce. In these situations, seeking legal counsel can be vital. Legal remedies might not guarantee a desirable outcome, but they can help parties arrive at an agreeable setup that considers the needs of all involved parties, especially the children.