INDIANAPOLIS —
After two years of review, Indiana judges have approved proposed changes to a comprehensive set of guidelines aimed at reducing conflict between parents in child custody cases.
The recommended revisions to the state’s Parenting Time Guidelines cover an array of issues that arise in custody battles, from where children spend their holidays to what happens when warring parents can’t agree on the most basic rules for visitation.
The proposed revisions to the 33-page guidelines were approved last week by the Indiana Judicial Conference, whose members include the state’s trial court judges. If approved by the Indiana Supreme Court, the revised guidelines are expected to go into effect early next year for use by courts throughout the state.
The guidelines serve as a model set of custody-related rules for courts and parents. While some of the language in the guidelines has changed, the basic premise driving them remains the same; that is, that under most circumstances, a child is best served by two actively engaged parents.
“In making any changes we tried to remember the reason for the guidelines is so children can have safe, stable, predictable parenting time with each parent,” said Steuben County Judge William Fee, who chaired a committee of judges who spent two years reviewing the guidelines that were first adopted in 2001.
Some of the changes set out rules for visitation and other matters in painstaking detail. They include, for example, specific times of the day when children can go from one parent to another, spell out what holiday celebrations take precedence over birthday celebrations, and how to evenly split up Christmas vacations that spill over into the New Year.
The revised rules include more detailed rules for how judges can handle issues involving “high-conflict” parents who are unable or unwilling to cooperate with each other or the court.
They also include language that underscores the guidelines’ larger intent: “Parents and attorneys should always demonstrate a spirit of cooperation.”
The original parenting time guidelines were developed as a way to help parents, attorneys and judges deal with the bitter custody disputes that often arise in divorce cases, Fee said.
Prior to their adoption, courts in Indiana varied significantly in how they decided custody disputes. Visitation guidelines differed from county to county and sometimes differed from judge to judge within the same county. That led to confusion and more dispute, he said.
“There is absolutely no doubt that the guidelines reduced the amount of litigation (over custody issues), provided predictability for the children involved, and enhanced the possibility of parents settling these issues for themselves,” Fee said.
The parenting time guidelines don’t apply in cases where there is abuse, neglect, domestic violence, substance abuse or other issues.
One area that the revised guidelines don’t yet include: Rules for when a “parenting coordinator” can be appointed by a judge to work with parents who are in deep dispute about visitation and other issues. The guidelines for parenting coordinators, including how they’re trained and whether they can make binding recommendations, are still undergoing some study.
Maureen Hayden is Statehouse bureau chief for CNHI’s Indiana newspapers. She can be reached at Maureen.hayden@indianamediagroup.com.
State News
Indiana judges revise ‘parenting time’ rules in custody cases
- State News
-
-
State won’t use free lunch program as poverty indicator
Indiana is changing the way it counts low-income students in public schools because Republican legislators suspect fraud in the federal school-lunch program used to measure poverty.
-
Report: State is both ‘leader and laggard’
A newly released report card on where Indiana ranks nationally in key economic measures shows the state is both “a leader and a laggard” in areas that signal potential for more prosperity.
-
Indiana’s high school grad rate continues upward
Indiana’s reported high school graduation rate continues to improve, moving from 77 percent to more than 88 percent in less than a decade, but there are still significant achievement gaps marked by race and income.
-
Schools chief Ritz on fast learning curve
For many occupants of the Indiana Statehouse, the week after the General Assembly wraps up its final frenzy of work is a quiet one. But not for Glenda Ritz.
-
SLIDESHOW: Governor Otis R. Bowen
Photos from the Indiana State Archives of the late Otis R. Bowen, who served as governor of the state as well as in the Ronald Reagan White House. The Bremen native died Saturday
-
Out of office, Lugar shuns retirement
One year ago, Indiana’s longest serving U.S. senator was rejected by Republican primary voters and forced into an unwelcome retirement from a distinguished political career that spanned 46 years. But at 81, former U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar is hardly in a resting mode.
-
Lugar wary of Syria involvement
Former U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar has been out of office since early January, but he’s still being sought after for his opinion about foreign policy matters he once helped shape.
-
Judge grants class status to lawsuit again BMV
INDIANAPOLIS — As many as 4 million Indiana drivers could become plaintiffs in a lawsuit alleging the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles has overcharged for driver’s licenses since 2007.
-
Budget deal includes little funding for criminal code reform
Facing the end-of-session deadline, Indiana legislators moved forward on a bill to overhaul the state’s criminal sentencing laws but left undone the issue of where local communities will get the money to implement it.
-
Legislators closing in on final budget
In his first four months as the chief budget maker in the Indiana House, Republican Rep. Tim Brown hasn’t been surprised by the long hours, multiple demands and intense debate that goes with crafting a $30 billion spending plan.
-
New poll shows voters tepid on Pence tax plan
With just days to go before the deadline for a final budget bill, a new independent poll shows Republican Gov. Mike Pence may not have gotten much mileage for his travels around the state pitching his 10 percent tax cut plan.
-
DOC hopes ‘cold case’ cards lead to solved cases
Indiana state prison officials are using customized playing cards for a deadly serious purpose: To help unlock the mysteries of unsolved murders and persons gone missing.
-
Indiana attorney general says Congress must act on immigration reform
Amidst concerns that the Boston Marathon bombing may derail federal action on comprehensive immigration reform, Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller is turning up some collective heat on Congress to move ahead.
-
Disagreements stall criminal code reform bill
Negotiations over the final language in a bill that rewrites Indiana’s criminal code may come down to the last week of the legislative session.
-
Budget forecasters predict bigger drop in gaming revenues
While a gaming bill is still in play in the General Assembly, state budget forecasters are predicting the payoff to the state from legalized gambling will be even lower than they thought.
-
Legislature heads into final stretch
The Indiana General Assembly has slogged its way through hundreds of bills since convening in January but in some critical ways, the real work has just begun.
-
Criminal records bill passes Indiana Senate
Legislation that would allow some people with long-ago arrests and convictions in Indiana to wipe clean their criminal record has moved one step closer to the governor’s desk.
-
Court challenge likely for welfare drug-testing bill
Both chambers of the Indiana General Assembly have passed a bill that ties drug testing to welfare benefits, but if signed into law, the next debate may be on the question: Is it constitutional?
-
Push to roll back ban on in-state tuition for immigrants stops short
House Republicans who wanted to roll back a two-year-old ban on in-state tuition for the children of undocumented immigrants have abandoned their plan to expand a Senate bill covering a much smaller group of students.
-
House committee OKs in-state tuition for some undocumented students
The debate over in-state college tuition for the children of undocumented immigrants is headed for the Indiana House.
-
Legislators working on funding plan for criminal code rewrite
As legislation that overhauls Indiana’s criminal code moves forward, supporters of the bill are working on finding funding for local communities to implement it.
-
Republican super PAC leader backs immigration reform
As the politics of immigration reform heats up in the Statehouse and Congress, a prominent Republican is ramping up his efforts to rid the influence of what he calls anti-immigrant “extremists” in his party.
-
House considers bill to shorten school day
Legislation that would have freed the state’s high-performing schools from the mandatory 180-day school year has been amended in the House with a provision to shorten the school day instead.
-
House committee debates ban on in-state tuition for immigrant children
Two years after banning the children of undocumented immigrants from paying in-state tuition rates at the state’s public universities, Indiana legislators are debating whether to roll back that prohibition.
-
Pence says Senate GOP plan for 3 percent tax cut not enough
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence appears to be still dug in on his demand for a 10 percent income tax cut, despite a “nod” from Senate Republicans willing to give him a smaller slice of what he wants.
-
Conservative coalition supports rollback of immigrant tuition ban
Supporters of a national coalition of conservative clergy, law enforcement and business leaders are calling on Indiana lawmakers to roll back the state’s ban on in-state college tuition for the children of immigrants who came here illegally.
-
Pence’s 'ERASER' bill appears dead
Legislation pushed by Gov. Mike Pence to eliminate licensing requirements for more than a dozen occupations is apparently dead, killed by a lack of support from both Republicans and Democrats in the General Assembly.
-
Bill limiting seclusion and restraint to discipline students moves ahead
Legislation aimed at reducing the use of physical restraints and locked isolation rooms to discipline students continues to gain support in the General Assembly.
-
House committee pushes Pence to negotiate Medicaid expansion
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence has insisted he won’t expand what he calls the “broken” Medicaid health insurance program for the poor, but some state legislators are encouraging him to do so, even it’s called by another name.
-
Debate over pot penalties not over in Indiana
The politics of pot may keep Indiana lawmakers from rolling back the state’s tough marijuana laws this session, but it won’t eradicate the push for decriminalization.
- More State News Headlines
-
State won’t use free lunch program as poverty indicator
Raw: Trucker Bumps I-5 Bridge Before Collapse
Mayor: Person Killed in San Antonio Flooding
Suspect in Killing of Officer Found Dead in Cell
Raw: Texas Deputy Shot by Colo. Suspect Honored
Major Detours Following Wash. Bridge Collapse
Raw: Apple 1 Computer Sells for More Than $650k
Raw: French Soldier Stabbed in Throat Near Paris
Raw: Train Derails After Overpass Collapse
American Held in Grisly Czech Murders
High Wire Spectacle Thrills Crowd in Austria
Raw: Jersey Shore Reopens for Summer
Today in History May 25
Raw: Rescues From San Antonio Flooding
Raw: Gay Rights Activists March in Ukraine
Raw Video: Washington State Bridge Collapse
Bus Fire Kills 16 Children, Teacher in Pakistan
UK-bound Pakistan Plane Diverted, 2 Men Arrested
Officials: Tsarnaev Friend Linked to Slaying
Hagel Urges Cadets to End Scourge of Sex Assault
New Wheelchair Lift Promises More Access
Massive Flooding in San Antonio Area; Rescue Efforts Underway
Hope For The Boy Who Can't Smile
Young protestor goes viral on Youtube
Toronto Mayor says he's not a crack head
Maine island offers lighthouse getaway
Should We Prepare for Quakes?
Lynn Kindergarten Class Rescues Ducklings
Congressional gold medal awarded to civil rights heroes
Charles Ramsey visits Kentucky
Unique Display Greets Guests At Revel Casino
Cape Cod Train Service Worries Residents
BASE jumper rides snowmobile off cliff to honor dead friend
Bridge Collapse Survivor: 'Rough Day'
SHOCKING: School Guard Throws Girl Down Stairs
Star Wars X-Wing Star Fighter Made of Legos
Actress Amanda Bynes Arrested in New York
Singer Psy Has An Imposter
