How Do I Exercise Supervised Visits During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Stay at Home Orders?

A question that has arisen with more frequency during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, is how parents whose visits are required to be supervised, can follow their parenting plans and exercise their court ordered visits.

This is an excellent question. And the Clark County Superior Court has offered guidance. The Clark County Superior Court recently provided the following advisory language to parents and attorneys:

Supervised Parenting Time:

If parenting time is ordered to be supervised, and the supervisor is unavailable due to COVID-19-related issues or government orders, the parties should work collaboratively to ensure parenting time continues to occur in a manner that promotes their children’s safety and wellbeing, such as finding an alternative supervisor. If that is not possible, then the parenting time should be conducted virtually via videoconferencing or by telephone.

The language and intent of this advisory  statement is straightforward: you and the other parent need to work together to try to adhere to your parenting plan.  That means first trying to exercise visits with a supervisor.  If a supervisor is not available, then work together to try to find the next best solution.  As with other issues related to visitation and the COVID-19 pandemic, either party can motion the court if they feel they have lost visitation.  However, the Court will expect that parents work together, in good faith, and try to resolve these issues before coming to court.

The full text of the Clark County Superior Court’s information related to coronavirus (COVID-19) can be found here: https://www.clark.wa.gov/superior-court/covid-19-family-law-information

We at Joshua J. Bean, PLLC understand that you may have many additional questions related to your divorce or custody case and how it is impacted by COVID-19. We are, therefore, offering free 30-minute telephone consultations to help you with these issues. Please call at 360-695-3695 to set one up.