Question:
My wife and I are expected to meet halfway to exchange the children during our parenting time.
The winter weather in our area has made traveling difficult and I don’t feel comfortable driving for several hours in these conditions.
How do you suggest we resolve the visitation exchange when weather is a factor?
Answer:
If in good faith it is your belief that the weather in your area is unsafe for you to drive in to exchange your kids for visitation with their mother, I have two suggestions for you.
First, you could offer the mother “make up” visitation time. Try and work out an arrangement with the mother whereby you keep the children when the road conditions are not safe and offer her some other time for visitation during a period when you generally would have possession of the children.
This way you do not have to drive to do the exchange when the road conditions are unsafe and she is not missing out on any time with the children.
Second, if you do not feel comfortable driving to exchange the children for visitation due to weather conditions, but your ex-wife does feel comfortable doing so, than you can offer that she drives to your house to pick up the children.
From the wording of your question it is unclear as to how long she has the children for during her visits, but maybe if the weather permits you can offer to pick up the children from her residence on the return drive. This way she can still see the children during her visitation periods and you do not have to drive during the unsafe weather conditions.
Cordell & Cordell has men’s divorce lawyers located in 18 states.
Jennifer Hankinson is a Staff Attorney in the Dallas, Texas office of Cordell & Cordell, where she practices domestic relations exclusively. Ms. Hankinson is licensed in the state of Texas. Ms. Hankinson received her bachelors’ degrees in both Finance and Political Science from Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California. She later received her Juris Doctor from Gonzaga University School of Law in Spokane, Washington, where she graduated Cum Laude.
