If you seriously question your children’s safety when they are with the other parent, then you can ask the court to order supervised visitation. However, you should not request this lightly. If you lack evidence to support a claim that your children are unsafe with their other parent, the court may view you as a parent seeking to interfere with the other party’s parent-child relationship and parental rights.Supervised visitation is appropriate in certain situations and if your children’s safety is compromised with the other parent, then you need knowledgeable legal counsel to voice your concerns in a manner that will result in the court ordering supervised visitation. The attorneys of
Schoenberg Family Law Group, P.C., can help you advocate for supervised visitation, whether in an initial custody determination or as a
modification of an existing custody order.
Our San Francisco lawyers practice exclusively in family law, including high-conflict custody and visitation cases. We represent custodial and noncustodial parents in the California family courts of San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and the greater Bay Area.
“I recently hired Ms. Schoenberg to help with a custody issue with my ex. She was amazing. Very professional, and really knows how to get things done. We were able to resolve the issues without having to go to Court. Ms Schoenberg really helped me to keeps things in perspective even as I felt my life was falling apart. She was really there for me — answering all my questions and always returning my calls quickly. I would HIGHLY recommend her.”
— K.F. (More testimonials from our clients)
Can I Have The Other Parent’s Visitation Supervised?
Unless there is a history of domestic violence, sexual abuse, drug and/or alcohol abuse, or a pattern of otherwise harmful behavior toward the child, the court will not order supervised visitation. The court will not resort to such drastic measures in response to your general report of “bad parenting.” To order supervised visitation, a judge must be convinced that the child is at risk when alone with the parent in question.
If your child has suffered harm, or been exposed to dangerous situations in the other parent’s care, we can help you meet the high burden of proof for supervised visitation. The court will consider several factors, such as the child’s age, and the number and severity of incidents. If you present compelling evidence of harm or danger, the judge can then impose a range of conditions on the other parent to protect your child, including:
- Protection orders (prohibiting all contact)
- Supervised visits
- No third parties during visits
- Child exchanges in a public place
- Anger management counseling
- Substance abuse treatment
- No drinking while with the children
If the court does impose supervised visitation, then the family must hire a supervisor. Over time, if the supervised parent demonstrates vastly improved treatment of the child, the court may authorize unsupervised visitation.
Contact The Schoenberg Family Law Group, P.C.
To talk with our San Francisco attorneys about supervised visitation, contact us online or call 415.834.1120.
