How do I deal with an ex who won’t let me see my child?

Divorce or separation can be emotionally taxing. One of the issues a divorcing couple must deal with if they have a child together is custody arrangement. Depending on the arrangement, the court will grant one parent primary custody while the other gets visitation rights.

However, it is not unusual for the parent with the primary custody to violate the existing custody arrangement by denying the other parent their visitation rights. When this happens, the offended party should know what to do, and mistakes to avoid, when addressing the issue.

Here are three things you need to do if your ex is refusing to let you see your child.

Talk about your concerns

Sometimes, your ex may withhold visitation because they are not happy with certain behaviors emanating from you. Maybe you have taken to a lifestyle that they feel will be detrimental to the child. Or, you are not returning the child in time and they are not happy about this. Trying to find out why your ex is denying you visitation can help you address the misunderstanding and get back on your routine.

Document missed visitations

Even if you have talked and resolved the misunderstanding, it is important that you create a journal of any missed visitation. This is important should the matter end in court because the judge will need evidence of custody order violation when making a ruling.

File a formal complaint in court

The last thing you want to do when you are denied visitation is to either withhold child support or kidnap the child. These two mistakes can land you in serious trouble with the law. Thus, if you cannot resolve the matter with your ex, you may have to file a contempt of court charge against the offending party. This is where you will need evidence of denied visitation.

Every parent deserves to enjoy a healthy relationship with their child. Find out how you can safeguard this right if your ex is violating your visitation rights.