Legal Question in Family Law in Virginia

Teenager and Visitation w/father

I am a mother of two teenage children (14 & 16), while there is no legal agreement between their father and I, we do have a verbal agreement. I for the most part have custody of the two and their father can sees them on weekends. I live in VA while their dad lives in MD. The 2 questions I have is:

1. Am I legally bound to drive the kids halfway so he can visit them or do I have the right to make him come and pick the kids up for visitations? He seems to think I am legally bound to bring the kids to him at whatever time he decides for pickup and drop off.

2. If one of the kids does not want to see him on a weekend can he force that child to visit him? Example of this is my 16 yr. old wants to spend the weekend with his friends but is father says he has no choice and has to see him. I am afraid he is not letting our son have the opportunity to develop a social life by forcing every weekend to visit him.

Yes I know I need to get a legal custody agreement but would like to know what my chances are if I decide to fight him on visitation based off the two questions I have posed. Any advice would be helpful! Thanks in advance.


Asked on 7/03/09, 8:47 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Michael Hendrickson Law Office Michael E. Hendrickson

Re: Teenager and Visitation w/father

If there is/are no valid court order(s) currently in effect regarding the issues referenced, neither of you is "legally bound" to do anything regarding these matters.

No 16 year old child can be compelled to visit a parent with whom s/he doesn't want to visit.

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Answered on 7/03/09, 11:19 am


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