Parenting Time Expediter
Reasons to Have a Parenting Time Expediter
An access schedule is usually good for 18 - 24 months.
* What worked for pre-school kids becomes inoperative when they start
elementary school.
* When the kids start swimming, T-ball, and soccer lessons, the new schedule
runs into problems.
* If one of the parents relocates more than 50 miles away, all the variants of
the old schedule collapse.
Many parents argue about holidays not mentioned in the Divorce Decree.
* Who gets the kids on the Friday before Independence Day (Friday, July 3rd, is a
legal holiday when Independence Day falls on a Saturday.
* What happens if Dad's birthday falls on Mother's Day?
* What should the remedy be for a non-custodial parent who returns the children
late to the residential parent?
Parenting Time Expediter Role
1. Expediter is a serviceable medicine bottle for the problems presented by post-
decree parenting disputes.
2. Expediter functions as a Med-Arb Neutral: The Expediter initially attempts to
mediate those disputes, but if mediation fails to yield an agreement, then the
Expediter renders a decision (as an arbitrator), in writing.
3. Expediter's decision is binding unless modified or overturned by the Judge
after a hearing on a motion to vacate or modify.
4. Expediter authority should be spelled out in the Divorce Decree.
Long-Term Impact
1. Parties will save money by not going to court to argue about post-decree
visitation problems.
2. Parents will develop negotiation techniques to assist them in resolving post-
decretal access issues without an attorney or Expediter.
3. The PPT process empowers parents to discuss difficult topics in a neutral
manner causing less stress on the kids.
