After your divorce, you may not get to spend every day with your child anymore. With this, you may want to soak up every opportunity you get to spend with your child granted to you in your custody arrangement. This is why you may be irritated, disappointed, and more when your former spouse is consistently tardy in dropping off your child at your scheduled parenting time. Now, the already-limited time you get with your child is further shortened. We understand your frustration, so please read on to discover what to do if your ex is late to drop off your child and how a seasoned New York City child custody attorney at Zimmet Law Group, P.C. can help you get the parenting time you are entitled to.
What if my ex is always late to drop off my child?
Sometimes, the simple solution to your ex’s lateness in dropping off your child is kindly addressing it with them in a civil conversation. Here, you may better understand why they are struggling with the timing of your parenting schedule, and possibly negotiate a plan that works in both your best interests.
Other times, though, your ex may be unagreeable and unwilling to rectify their past blunders with your parenting schedule. This is when you may need to get your family law attorney involved, perhaps the same one who helped with your divorce. Here, your attorney may send an official letter to your ex addressing the issue at hand and the potential consequences for continuing their habit of tardiness.
If your ex blows off this letter, your attorney may assist you in filing a motion for contempt of court. If you are successful in your claim, the New York State family law judge may modify your custody arrangement to grant you more parenting time. This is to make up for the time you lost with your child. Or, they may order your ex to pay a fine so they may be discouraged from further lateness.
How can I prove that my ex is always late to drop off my child?
To prove your motion for contempt of court is legitimate, you must demonstrate that your ex’s tardiness is a chronic issue. This may be best accomplished if you and your ex agreed to meet at a neutral location for your child’s pick up and drop off.
For example, say that you and your spouse typically meet at a gas station. Well, you may put gas in your vehicle and get a printed receipt that states the date and time. You may also take photos and videos with timestamps, showing you at the gas station and your ex being absent. Lastly, you may send texts or make phone calls to your ex for additional timestamps, in which you show your effort to track down your ex’s estimated time of arrival.
In conclusion, one of the competent New York City matrimonial and family law attorneys can help kickstart your legal action today. Our team at Zimmet Law Group, P.C. will happily take on your case.
