If your child's other parent has been violating your parenting agreement, you can take steps to enforce it. Your options depend on whether or not a judge approved your plan. When a judge signs off on a custody or visitation agreement, it becomes a court order. The order is then legally binding on both parents and easier to enforce.
Without a court order, police or the courts can enforce your custody agreement only if a child is in immediate danger. If you are afraid for your child's safety, don't hesitate to call the local police.
After you have a court order, your enforcement options include:
- negotiating with the other parent to reach an agreement that works better
- asking the police to step in and help, and
- reporting the other parent's behavior to the family court judge.
To learn more about each of these options, choose your state from the list below.