44: Can Your Ex Take Your Child Out of State Without Permission?
About this episode
Samantha Boss discusses the implications of travel restrictions in custody agreements and the importance of considering future needs as parents navigate separation.
Early in a separation, almost every parent has the same reaction: I don't want my ex taking my kids out of state. That fear is normal. It's also the fear that gets parents to sign restrictions they spend the next decade regretting. This week I'm answering the question directly, and then I'm flipping it. Because every limit you put on your ex lands right back on you. Start with the only thing that actually matters: what does your plan say? Not what feels fair, not what your attorney assumed, what's written down. And if you're freshly separated with only a temporary order, check whether it addresses travel at all. Most of them don't. I worked with a woman whose son had taken the same trip to see family every year of his life. Eight years running. They separated, the temporary order said nothing about travel, and her ex said no. When she took it to the judge, he called her a flight risk and said he wasn't sure she'd come home. No proof. Just his fear, said out loud in a courtroom. She stayed home. Then the mind shift. Aren't you going to want to take your kids out of state? Vacations, family, weddings, funerals, opportunities, a trip you didn't see coming. Parents get so focused on…
People in this episode
Host: Samantha Boss
Topics covered
- child custody
- travel restrictions
- co-parenting
- separation
- legal advice
Keywords
- divorce
- child travel
- temporary order
- parenting
- court ruling
More episodes of The Ugly Truth of Divorce
- 45: The Communication Deadline Clause Nobody Puts in Their Parenting Plan
- 43: What Happens to Your Parenting Plan When Your Ex Moves Out of State
- 42: Vacation Clauses That Prevent Summer Custody Fights
- 41: Why the Priority List in Your Parenting Plan Matters More Than You Think
- 40: The Things No One Warns You About After the Divorce Is Final
- 38: The Top 7 Challenges of 50/50 Custody (Especially with a High-Conflict Co-Parent)
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