(web page updated 12-12-09)

PLEASE TAKE NOTE:  Counties change their local visitation schedules.  The county you live in may have changed their rule(s) yesterday.  The county you live in may have different visitation schedules for Juvenile Court and Domestic Court. The rule may have been changed or updated since the last time this web page was updated.  In addition, if you already have a visitation schedule pursuant to local rule, and that schedule was attached to your parenting time orders, it is POSSIBLE that the court did not mean for YOUR visitation schedule to change if the local visitation schedule in your county changes. The local visitation schedules are put on this website as a courtesy and are updated as often as possible.  They are NOT legal advice and they are NOT meant to help you figure out if a decision you are about to make would be a violation of an existing court order.  If you want to make sure that you have the most current version of the local rule in your county, you can either look on your county Clerk of Court’s website, go to your local Clerk of Court’s office, or call your local Clerk of Court.

Click here to get a list of phone numbers for the Clerk of Court in your county.

If you know that the court in this county has implemented a new rule, PLEASE tell us by e-mailing us at info@cornwell-law.com and we will update our website.

The office of the Clerk of Court cannot give you legal advice.  This website, although prepared in part by attorneys, cannot and does not give you legal advice.  You can only get legal advice by talking to an attorney of your choice about the facts of your case, and the law as it applies to the facts of your case.

If you understand the information you have just read and would like to see the most recent local rule visitation schedule we have on our website, see the information below, or, if need be, click the “more” link below.

29. GUIDELINES FOR PARENTING TIME

These guidelines are designed to provide assistance to parents in the resolution of issues

relating to parenting time and to provide assistance to the Court in formulating parenting

time orders when the parents are unable to reach an agreement. The underlying purpose

of any such agreement or order is to provide for the best interest of each child after giving

full consideration to the facts and issues that are relevant to each family.

These guidelines are based on the premise that:

A. Both parents are suitable;

B. Both parents desire to have an ongoing relationship with each child;

C. Both parents are able to carry out the childcare plan;

D. Any negotiated solution between parents is preferred to a court imposed solution;

E. It is usually in the children’s best interest for each parent to have frequent,

meaningful and continuing access to the children;

F. That children need reliability, predictability and consistency on the part of each

parent.

A number of common sense guidelines should be followed in every case. Except as

otherwise ordered by the court:

A. Both parents are entitled to access to records and information on the medical care

of the children directly from the health care provider as well as from the other

parent. Each parent should notify the other promptly of any significant medical

treatment;

B. Both parents are entitled to access to all school records of the children directly

from the school as well as from the other parent. School reports should be

photocopied promptly after receipt and supplied to the other parent. Both parents

should be notified promptly of all child-related activities which encourage or allow

parental participation;

C. Both parents are reminded that parenting time and child support, while they may

be emotionally connected, are separate legal issues. Parental access may not be

denied due to failure to pay child support and child support may not be withheld

due to failure of a parent to allow access to the children;

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D. Parents should share with each other their residence and work addresses and phone

numbers;

E. Each parent should encourage the children to initiate telephone, email, and/or mail

contact with the other parent on a regular basis, and allow the other parent

reasonable contact with the children while in their care;

F. Parents should not discuss their problems with the other parent with the children,

nor should they speak ill of the other parent in the presence of the children;

G. Parents should not attempt to buy the favor of the children with presents, special

treatment or privileges, or promises;

H. Parents should not make their children choose between the two parents;

I. Parents should not question their children regarding the activities of the other

parent;

J. Parents should be prompt with appointments with their children. Children should

not be kept waiting, nor should they suffer the disappointment of a parent failing

to show up. When unforeseen circumstances prevent arrival within approximately

30 minutes of the scheduled time of exchange, immediate notification should be

given, if possible, and appropriate alternative arrangements should be made;

K. Parents should coordinate plans regarding bedtime, discipline, homework schedule

and other household rules;

L. Any clothing accompanying the child should be returned in the same condition as

it was sent;

M. The parent exercising parenting time is responsible for transporting their children

to and from the other parent’s residence. If the parent is unavailable for the pickup

or return of their children, an alternate driver may be used, provided that driver

has a valid driver’s license and is known to the children. Any person transporting

children must adhere to all child restraint laws. Both parents are expected to have

their own child restraint devices. No person transporting children may be under

the influence of drugs or alcohol;

N. When either parent’s plans include travel out of the area, a travel schedule

including destination and emergency phone numbers (if available) should be

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forwarded to the other parent prior to departure, with one week notification being

preferred.

SUGGESTED PARENTING TIME PLAN

A. Alternating weekends from Friday at 6:00 p.m. to Sunday at 6:00 p.m.,

commencing the first weekend after the date of filing the journal entry.

B. One midweek day from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. If the parties cannot agree upon a

day for the midweek parenting time it shall be Wednesday.

C. For the purpose of parenting time, there are ten (10) holidays as follows:

1. New Year’s Day

2. Martin Luther King Day

3. President’s Day

4. Easter

5. Memorial Day

6. Fourth of July (Noon 7/4 until noon 7/5)

7. Labor Day

8. Thanksgiving

9. Christmas Eve

10. Christmas

In the odd-numbered years, the mother/father shall have the children on oddnumbered

holidays; and the father/mother shall the children on the evennumbered

holidays. In the even-numbered years, the father/mother shall have the

odd-numbered holidays; and the mother/father shall have the even-numbered

holidays. Holiday parenting time shall supersede regularly scheduled parenting

time and is from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., unless otherwise noted above.

D. The alternating weekend parenting time sequence shall not be interrupted as a

consequence of the holiday schedule. If the weekend immediately preceding a

Monday holiday and the holiday parenting time are both scheduled with the same

parent, holiday parenting time shall commence Friday at 6:00 p.m. and end

Monday at 8:00 p.m. Should the parent having the Thanksgiving holiday also

have the weekend immediately following the holiday, holiday parenting time shall

commence Thursday at 9:00 a.m. and end Sunday at 6:00 p.m.

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E. On Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, no matter whose weekend for parenting time,

children will be with the appropriate parent.

F. For children of school age, the parents shall split the Winter vacation from school

in the following manner: The parent designated to have the Christmas Eve holiday

shall have the children for the first half of the winter vacation, beginning 9:00 a.m.

the day immediately following the last day of school until December 24th at 8:00

p.m. The parent designated to have the Christmas Day holiday shall have the

second half of the winter vacation, beginning 8:00 p.m. December 24th until 8:00

p.m. December 31st.

G. For children of school age, the parents shall alternate the Spring vacation from

school in the following manner: The parent designated to have the Easter holiday

shall have the children from 9:00 a.m. the day immediately following the last day

of school until 8:00 p.m. the day prior to reconvening of school. Spring vacation

parenting time will supersede any regular weekend visitation.

H. Four (4) weeks of parenting time each summer. Notice shall be given to the other

parent of the dates of intended parenting time thirty (30) days in advance of such

parenting time. The parent exercising extended summer parenting time has

priority in scheduling over the other parent’s choice provided the thirty (30) days

notice is given, unless the other parent’s vacation choice is an annual mandatory

shutdown of their place of employment. If either parent chooses to exercise

extended summer parenting time for three or more consecutive weeks, the other

parent is entitled to exercise their alternating weekend parenting time schedule

during that time period, unless the extended summer parenting time involves travel

out of the local area.

1. Children are to be in the residential home for school purposes one week before

commencement of the school year. No extended summer parenting time is to

be scheduled by either parent for the week prior to commencement of school.

2. Children not of school age may go for extended parenting time throughout the

year, provided the parents comply with the thirty (30) day notice requirement.

I. Children shall celebrate their birthday in the home of the residential parent for

school purposes, unless it falls on a day when the other parent is exercising

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parenting time. The other parent may make up for the birthday with a separate

birthday party if desired.

J. Such additional times as may be agreed between the parties.

K. Absent reasonable notice and good cause for delay, children and/or the other

parent have no duty to wait for the other parent for more than thirty (30) minutes

of a scheduled parenting time. A parent who is later than thirty (30) minutes

without reasonable notice and good cause for delay shall forfeit that scheduled

parenting time.

L. If either parent intends to move from their current residence, that parent shall file a

notice of intent to relocate with the court pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section

3109.051(G)(1).