Divorce and the Holidays: Tips from Curran Moher Weis

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December 21, 2016Author: Gerald Curran, Esq.

Divorce and the Holidays: Tips from Curran Moher Weis

As the Christmas and New Year holidays are fast approaching, you want to be able to enjoy the holidays with your children and other loved ones.  If you are divorced with children or in the midst of a divorce with children, the holidays can be a very stressful time.  The last thing that anyone wants to do is argue over custody and visitation issues with their former spouse or soon-to-be former spouse during what should be a joyous and happy season.

As a Family Law practitioner with over 25 years of experience, I have been called into court on Emergency Motions regarding holiday visitation numerous times over the years.  Believe me, the last thing that you want to be doing over Christmas or New Year’s is arguing with your spouse or former spouse over who has your children on which days during the actual holiday or during your children’s winter break from school.  This is especially true if you plan to travel over the holidays.  Over the years, I have seen people forced to cancel or rebook plane tickets (sometimes at extraordinary cost), cancel holiday trips altogether, or have to cut time short with family and friends because he or she did not know EXACTLY when they had their children over the holiday season.

Here are some tips to a lower stress holiday season if you are divorced with children or in the midst of as divorce with children:

  • Make sure that you understand the exact holiday time sharing requirements contained in any court order or agreement that has been executed in your case.
  • Talk with your lawyer regarding the terms of your order or agreement if you have any question at all about the holiday custody/visitation arrangements therein.
  • Start early. Understand the terms of your order or agreements BEFORE you make holiday plans, purchase plane tickets, etc.  I generally recommend to clients that if they have any question about the terms of their custody/visitation documents for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s or Winter Break that they contact me by Halloween.

 

From all of us at Curran Moher Weis, we wish you a happy, stress-free holiday season and send our best wishes for a healthy and prosperous New Year.

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