When will a judge order supervised visitation in Santa Ana?

Santa Ana, CA – Judges have the authority to make a number of different rulings in a child custody case. One specific thing that they can do is to order supervised visitation when one of the parents will be present with the child. This is usually only done out of safety concerns because one of the parents has a history of abuse or other problems. Whenever there is an upcoming custody hearing, it is important for each parent to get their own lawyers and review their situation to see if supervised visitation will be an issue. 

What is supervised visitation?

In practice, a supervised visitation is when a parent is only allowed to visit a child rather than receive custody rights. If there is another parent, it is likely that this person will have full custody rights. During these times, it is also a requirement that another neutral party is present to ensure the child’s safety, and the meetings can take place at specific times that are contained in the documentation related to the case. This is required through a judge’s order, so any rules related to supervised visitation can be enforced and a parent in violation of the order can face consequences, including being held in contempt of court. 

What causes supervised visitation rather than custody?

Judges need to consider safety concerns and related issues whenever deciding on a custody arrangement. Because supervised visitation is a very limited way for a parent to interact with their child, there usually needs to be some kind of serious issues or problems for a judge to decide on this kind of arrangement. Common reasons include prior history of domestic violence, abuse, or crime that can put the child’s safety in jeopardy. It is also possible that supervised visitation becomes relevant in situations where a parent has had little or no prior relationship with a child and they need to be gradually introduced to each other. Mental health is another concern if the parent has been given supervised visitation because it is uncertain whether they would be able to care for a child on their own. 

When limited custody is a concern, Santa Ana custody lawyers can work to advocate for maximum custody time for their clients. 

Can supervised visitation be changed?

It is possible that an order for visitation can be changed over time to a different schedule or to give a parent additional custody rights. Santa Ana divorce lawyers will need to schedule a hearing before the judge assigned to the case to petition for a modification. 

Advice from a custody attorney in Santa Ana is available

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