What is child visitation?
Visitation is the non-custodial parent’s time with child. In North Carolina, the law is fundamentally the same with regard to deciding visitation and custody; the decision is made with consideration given to the best interests of the child, parental rights, and the child’s wishes (depending on their age and maturity). Typical visitation rights include alternate weekends, half of all major holidays, a portion of the summer, and special days; some visitation schedules also include an evening for dinner or overnight stays during school breaks. Visitation rights can vary based on the child’s age; for example, some judges may rule that young children have less disruptions to their environment. If the Judge is advised that harm or danger could come to a child if visitation is not monitored, a ruling of Supervised Visitation can result. A Supervised Visitation ruling may designate location as well as who is eligible to supervise the visits (e.g., social worker, relative).
