You have done your best to put up with the frustration that your spouse has caused you during your divorce, but being estranged from each other has not made it any easier to communicate or resolve conflicts.
You have children together, and you know the importance of getting your children onto a regular custody schedule as soon as possible. Having a routine is necessary and makes life easier for everyone.
If your spouse won’t settle on a custody schedule, or if you have a dispute over your parenting plan, you may want to talk to your attorney about alternative dispute resolution options. Options such as arbitration or mediation may give you the support you need to finally find a solution to issues that keep cropping up.
Alternatively, it is possible to litigate and to take your case to court.
When is it appropriate to take your spouse to family court?
Sometimes, it does make more sense to take your spouse to court. For example, if you have been reasonable and given several different custody schedules that you think would work to them to review and they refuse to even look at them, then you may be at a point where you need a judge to intervene.
You might also want to get a judge involved in your case if your ex is threatening to leave with your children or has indicated that they won’t stick to a schedule that you put together. When one parent is being unreasonable and refuses to negotiate, it may be a good time to go to court to make sure a judge knows what’s happening. The judge may then be able to order a custody schedule that makes sense based on what you’re asking for and could set other requirements for the other parent to meet, such as returning your children on time to you or not going out of the state without permission.
Custody disputes are hard, but it’s worth taking the time to resolve them. That way, you can move forward with more security and a better understanding of how you’ll both be raising your children.
