There is no doubt that the coronavirus pandemic has significantly altered most people’s way of life. If you are divorced or separated and have minor children, then child custody arrangements have also likely been affected. Salt Lake City child custody attorneyEmy Cordano understands that these are challenging times for everybody and wants to discuss the various ways that COVID-19 can affect custody and visitation arrangements.
Stay at Home and Quarantine Orders
Utah has been under a “stay home, stay safe” directive issued by the governor, similar to stay-at-home orders issued in other states. In general, it is recommended that most people stay at home and avoid any large gatherings. The governor has warned that, in order for restrictions to be lifted, people should avoid going out of their homes unless it is for essential travel such as grocery shopping or to pick up medications.
This can have serious implications for parents who share custody of their children. We are going through an unprecedented time, and it is recommended that parents who share custody do what they can to accommodate each other. This is not a permanent situation, and the number one priority should be keeping everybody safe and healthy while at the same time not violating any court orders for parent time.
However, what happens if one parent does not trust the other parent to protect the child, such as maintaining social distancing or exposing the child to infected partners, or avoiding unnecessary travel? What if one parent is considered an essential worker or is living with someone who is an essential worker and is currently at a higher risk of COVID-19 exposure?
These are all serious questions that need to be addressed with a competent, experienced attorney like Emy Cordano. While parents should try to be understanding, and remain flexible goal should be to ensure that any children involved are not unnecessarily exposed to coronavirus. For such situations, it may be necessary to involve an attorney like Emy Cordano, a child custody attorney in Salt Lake City, to help resolve these issues in a timely manner.
Will Child Support Be Affected?
Without exception, child support payments must continue to be made on time regardless. However, the coronavirus pandemic has caused major disruptions in the economy and led to many people losing their jobs. If a parent who pays child support has lost their job, the only way to stop paying child support or to modify the amount of child support paid is to retain an attorney and seek a temporary modification to the child support order. Unilaterally stopping child support payments in violation of an existing court order is highly inadvisable and has long-term repercussions against the non-paying parent.
Congress recently passed a law that mandates $1,200 payments to most adults in this country. However, if any parent is behind on their child support payments, the amount of money they receive in their stimulus check will likely be affected. Right now, it is unclear how soon any money garnished from these payments will go to the custodial parent.
Let Us Help You With Your Case
If the coronavirus pandemic is causing a conflict with your child custody arrangements, you may need to seek legal assistance as soon as possible. Child custody attorneyEmy Cordano is dedicated to helping families get through this difficult time. We will examine what is going on with your case and work to obtain a favorable outcome on your behalf. When you need a Salt Lake City child custody attorney, you can contact us by clicking here or call us at (801) 901-8159 for an initial consultation.