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When should I request a supervised exchange in my child custody case?

On Behalf of | Aug 23, 2022 | Child Custody, Family Law

Supervised exchanges occur when a neutral third party facilitates the child custody exchange with your child’s other parent. This is also called a monitored exchange.

You may wonder if you should request a supervised exchange for your child custody case. Learn more about this and when it may be beneficial here.

Reasons to request a supervised exchange

The main reason to utilize supervised exchanges is to ensure the child doesn’t witness conflict between the parents. It’s possible to have a supervised exchange where the parents don’t see each other at all or just to have a third-party present to help mitigate the potential for conflict.

Who facilitates a supervised exchange?

The third party in a supervised exchange can be a non-professional provider who is not paid for this, usually a family member, friend or relative. Or a professional provider with official training who is paid for their services.

Note that the state has strict rules about who can fulfill this role, even if they do it voluntarily. For example, they must be at least 21 years old and cannot have been convicted of a crime or on probation or parole within the last 10 years. They must have valid auto insurance if they are to drive the child for the handover. They must also agree to abide by the other rules the state sets out and any special ones the judge adds to the court order.

If you believe you and your child could benefit from supervised exchanges, seek legal help to understand how to apply to a court for one.