Parenting after separation involves more than deciding which parent has the children on alternating weekends because school routines, holidays, transportation, and communication also need clear arrangements. Parent-time in Utah governs when a child spends time with a parent under an agreed or court-ordered schedule, while custody orders separately address residential and decision-making responsibilities.
The Schriever Law Firm can help you understand your family’s schedule, reduce misunderstandings, and identify when an existing order needs clarification or a formal change.
Determining Which Parent-Time Schedule Applies
Children Who Are Five or Older
Utah Code Section 81-9-302 provides a minimum parent-time schedule for children ages five to eighteen when parents cannot agree, subject to applicable court orders and legal exceptions. The statutory framework includes alternating weekends, a weekday period, designated holidays, and extended summer time, with detailed rules governing the timing of each period.
The statute is a starting framework rather than a reason to assume every family has the same order, so review the language actually entered in your case.
Children Younger Than Five
Utah Code Section 81-9-304 uses different schedules for younger children based on age, beginning with shorter and more frequent visits for infants. The available periods expand as children grow, making the child’s age and the particular terms of the order important before applying a schedule intended for older children.
Several statutory parent-time provisions have amendments scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027, making the applicable version important when preparing a new order.
Whether Equal Parent-Time Is Available
In Utah, the court may order equal parent-time after finding that the arrangement serves the child’s best interests and that both parents have been actively involved and can carry out the schedule. The statutory arrangement produces one hundred eighty-two overnights for one parent and one hundred eighty-three for the other, rather than assuming that every calendar year divides into identical shares.
Some practical issues to consider include the distance between homes, access to school, employment flexibility, and each parent’s ability to manage the child’s ordinary care throughout the week.
Therefore, equally sharing parenting time requires a workable plan for school days and daily responsibilities as well as a commitment to maintaining the child’s relationships.
Managing Holidays, Exchanges, and Communication
Parents must ensure that conflicts between parties concerning the schedule are resolved.
Holiday and extended vacation provisions can take priority over ordinary weekday or weekend periods, so a repeating calendar alone may not accurately show the required schedule. Reading the holiday terms before making travel plans can prevent avoidable disagreements about which parent has the children during a school break or family event.
Utah Code Section 81-9-202 addresses transportation responsibilities, communication, and access to information, while directing that schedules support continuity and stability in the child’s life. Therefore, clear arrangements should identify pickup locations, return times, and how parents will exchange information about school activities or medical needs without placing those tasks on the child.
What Happens When a Parent Plans to Move
Utah law defines relocation as moving one hundred fifty miles or more from the other parent’s residence and generally requires at least sixty days’ written notice. The court can review the effect on the child’s schedule and transportation costs, while the statute also provides for specific treatment of circumstances involving domestic or family violence.
Giving notice does not automatically resolve every issue created by the move, so parents should address the proposed schedule before assuming the existing arrangement will remain workable.
Address Missed Time or Continuing Disputes With the Help of a Trusted Family Attorney
Child support and parent-time remain separate obligations, so neither parent should suspend compliance with an existing order to pressure the other into paying support or allowing visits. Keep accurate records of missed exchanges and relevant communications so any request for enforcement or modification can be evaluated against the actual order and documented events.
If you need help interpreting a Utah parent-time schedule, you can review the existing order and proposed changes with family law attorneys at The Schriever Law Firm before deciding how to address the disagreement. Call us at (801) 574-0883 to schedule your consultation.
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