<\/span><\/h2>\nThe parenting time schedule for children aged 5-18 years old is based on Utah family codes 30-3-35 and 35.5. Utah courts presume that there is more stability and consistency for children if there is sole custody. Utah Code 30-3-35 provides a visitation schedule for children aged 5-18 years old, typically instituted when parents cannot agree on appropriate visitation between themselves. In this option,\u00a0 the noncustodial parent gets parenting time on a weekday,\u00a0 usually from 5:30 pm, when the kids get off from school or after the parent’s work hours, and the visit lasts until 8:30 pm, depending on the preference and availability of the noncustodial parent. The non-custodial parents get to be with the children from Friday after school until Sunday evening for weekend parenting time. Such arrangement is every other weekend. This is the minimum parent time.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>Alternative Minimum Parent Time<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\nA few years ago, Utah lawmakers came up with the alternative minimum parent-time found in Utah code 30-3-35.1. The schedule calls for 145 overnights that usually happen in midweek. If no day is specified, weekday parent-time shall be on Wednesday from 5:30 p.m. until the following day when delivering the child to school, or until 8 a.m., if there is no school the following day. Most people pick Thursday, after school hours, or when the parent gets off from work until the next morning when the parent drops off the child at school. The reason being is every other weekend, and you would get Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night. So, what that looks like is this: one week, you pick the kids up on Thursday, drop them off Friday morning. The next week you pick the kids up on Thursday, drop them off Monday morning at school, or return them home on Monday morning, whatever the case may be.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/span>Joint Parent Time or 50\/50\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\nThe third option available under a new law passed by the Utah State Legislature this year is the joint parent time or 50\/50 custody option as stipulated in the Utah family code. One parent will always get Monday and Tuesday. The other parent is going to get Wednesday and Thursday. This parenting schedule allows the children to spend an equal amount of time with both parents during the week and on weekends. The parents will alternate weekends Friday-Sunday. To illustrate,\u00a0 this is typically how it will go:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\nSchedule<\/b><\/td>\n | Monday\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/b><\/td>\n | Tuesday\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\n | Wednesday\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\n | Thursday\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\n | Friday\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/b><\/td>\n | Saturday\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/b><\/td>\n | Sunday\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nWeek One\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n | Father<\/span><\/td>\n | Father<\/span><\/td>\n | Mother<\/span><\/td>\n | Mother<\/span><\/td>\n | Father<\/span><\/td>\n | Father<\/span><\/td>\n | Father<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nWeek Two\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n | Father<\/span><\/td>\n | Father<\/span><\/td>\n | Mother<\/span><\/td>\n | Mother<\/span><\/td>\n | Mother<\/span><\/td>\n | Mother<\/span><\/td>\n | Mother<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n Because the weekend time alternates from week to week, the child would spend 50% of the time with both parents. This parenting schedule allows the children to spend an equal amount of time with both parents during the week and on weekends. It also affords the children to spend a longer block of time with each parent with only a few transitions between homes throughout the month. This 50 50 child custody arrangement is more often seen when the children are a little bit older and can go without seeing either parent for five consecutive days.<\/span><\/p>\n | | |