In Pennsylvania, a co-parent cannot legally stop you from seeing your child if there is a valid custody or visitation order in place. These orders must be followed unless a judge changes them. One parent cannot make that decision alone.
Unfortunately, this does still happen. If you have been stopped from seeing your child, here are a few things to remember.
Why a co-parent might try to block visits
A parent may try to withhold visits for emotional or personal reasons. Common examples include unpaid child support, conflict after a breakup or concerns about the child’s safety. Sometimes a parent claims the child does not want to go or that the living situation at the other home is not good enough.
However, most of these reasons are not legally valid. Not paying child support does not give the other parent the right to deny visits. A child refusing to go is also not a lawful reason to stop court-ordered time, unless a judge decides otherwise.
When it might be lawful
A parent can only stop visits if there is a serious and immediate concern for the child’s safety, such as abuse or neglect. Even then, the correct step is to go back to court and ask for a change in the custody order. Acting alone without court approval can lead to legal consequences.
If a co-parent is refusing to follow the court order, you can keep a record of missed visits and ask the court to enforce the order. Judges in Pennsylvania take these matters seriously and may respond by changing the custody arrangement or holding the other parent in contempt of court.
Courts aim to protect the child’s best interests and maintain strong bonds with both parents whenever possible. For more information about your parental rights, you may wish to seek legal guidance.
