Parenting time can be modified at any time so long as the child is a minor.
So, the court will retain jurisdiction over the child until the child is no longer a minor and what they refer to as aging out of the system that’s over 18.
And the courts will look at various factors. Sometimes there can be a change because the child has gotten older.
Maybe the child is now in school at different hours and therefore the prior schedule that had been in place where a
parent was with a child during one period of time for certain number of hours maybe that interferes with what a
child’s school schedule is or as a child gets older. Sometimes there is a strain in a relationship between a parent and a
child. If a child is 14 or older and expresses a desire to be heard by the
court as to preference with regard to what type of visitation or parenting time is in place, the court is required
to hear that child. Now, there are safeguards put in place so the way a child can be heard can occur in many different ways. It doesn’t necessarily
mean a child’s going to sit up on the stand in the courtroom in front of a judge with counsel and the parents sitting there. It could be through a family law facilitator. It could be
through various other means, sometimes in chambers with the judge and a child.
But a child’s preference will be heard at age 14 or older if they express a desire to be heard. It can occur at
times when the child’s a little younger and a court will analyze whether there is a sufficient level of mature maturity
the educational stage of that child the psychosocial developmental stages of that child and so it will depend on each child.