Family Law

Insist Upon Your Right to Visit Your Child

By Ben Stevens

I found the post below from Brent Rose to be very interesting.  He makes a great point in a very unusual and compelling way.  I hope that this post makes my readers think about this issue as well.

There's something I like about both the NRA and the ACLU. I know they're such different organizations. One is considered very liberal, the other very conservative. But they have one thing in common: they don't sit back and expect their rights to simply be handed to them. They fight for their rights. If they think their rights are being abridged or abused, they take charge. They go public. They get angry. They sue.

I get upset when someone says, "My ex won't give me visitation!" Well, why do you expect your ex to give you your visitation. Do you think the NRA or the ACLU expects the government to just give them their rights? Visitation is a right. Sometimes rights have to be demanded. Sometimes you have to get angry. Sometimes you have to sue.

No, it's not that the other parent didn't give you visitation. You just didn't take it. You are as much a parent as the other person is. You have a right to visitation. The law is pretty simple: the other parent can't deny you visitation. If he or she does deny you visitation, you file an action to have your visitation determined by the court. And if the other parent still won't give you visitation after a judge orders it? Watch how quickly custody changes. Maybe you agree with NRA and/or the ACLU and maybe you don't, but there is something to be learned from them. Don't expect your rights to just be handed to you. Go to court and demand them.
Source:  "The Other Parent Won't Give You Visitation" by Brent Rose, published at The Orsini & Rose Florida Divorce and Family Law Blog.

Full post as published by SC Family Law Blog on January 24, 2008 (boomark / email).