How to Maximize Your Summer Possession Time Legally!

As summer approaches, questions about scheduling extended summer possession for non-custodial parents become frequent. One common inquiry involves whether weekends can be added to a custom 14- or 15-day summer possession period. This blog post clarifies the rules and provides a visual calendar explanation.

Key Points:

1. Default vs. Custom Dates: If no custom dates are selected by April 1st, the default extended summer possession period is July 1st to July 31st. The discussion here applies only to custom selected dates.
2. Custom Possession Dates Example: In the example, a non-custodial parent picks custom dates from Friday at 6 PM to the following July 19th at 6 PM. These dates do not include weekends, which are treated as separate periods.
3. Counting Days Correctly: Day counting starts the day after possession begins. For instance, if possession starts on Friday at 6 PM, the first full day is Saturday.
4. Overlap and Adding Weekends: Whether weekends are added to the extended possession depends on overlap. If the extended period ends exactly at the start of a weekend (6 PM), the weekend does not get added. However, if there is an overlap (e.g., the possession ends on a Saturday at 6 PM), the weekend can extend the possession.
5. Weekend Logistics: Parents do not need to return the child at 6 PM only to pick them up again immediately for the weekend possession. Instead, the transition is seamless, with the weekend period starting right after the extended possession ends.

Understanding these nuances ensures non-custodial parents can maximize their legally allowed summer possession time without confusion or legal issues.