Understanding September 2024 Under the Texas Standard Possession Order: A Guide for Custodial and Non-Custodial Parents

Summer is officially over, and it’s back to school time. With September 2024 marking the first full school month, it’s important to understand how the Texas Standard Possession Order applies to your family’s schedule. Whether you’re a custodial parent or a non-custodial parent, knowing your visitation rights and obligations is key to navigating the month smoothly.

Review of August 2024

Before diving into September, let’s take a quick look back at August 2024. The month included a fifth Friday, which impacted the visitation schedule. The Fridays in August fell on the 2nd, 16th, and 30th. Under the Standard Possession Order (SPO), the non-custodial parent typically gets visitation on the first, third, and fifth Fridays of the month. In this case, the non-custodial parent had visitation on August 30th, the fifth Friday of the month, which leads into the Labor Day weekend.

Labor Day Weekend (September 2nd)

Labor Day falls on Monday, September 2nd, 2024, and it’s safe to assume that this will be a school holiday for most families. Under the Texas Standard Possession Order, if a non-custodial parent’s weekend falls on a holiday, the weekend extends until the holiday ends.

In this case, the non-custodial parent had the fifth Friday (August 30th) and the visitation will extend through Labor Day. This means that instead of returning the child on Sunday evening, the non-custodial parent will keep the child until Monday, September 2nd.

September 2024: Visitation Schedule

Now let’s break down the key visitation periods for September 2024 under the Texas SPO.

Thursdays: Non-Custodial Parent Visitation

As of September, the school term is back in full swing, which means Thursdays are back on the schedule for the non-custodial parent. According to the Texas SPO, non-custodial parents are entitled to visitation every Thursday during the school year. For September 2024, this means that the non-custodial parent will have visitation on the following Thursdays:

• September 5th
• September 12th
• September 19th
• September 26th

Fridays and Weekends: Non-Custodial Parent Visitation

The Texas SPO grants non-custodial parents visitation on the first, third, and fifth Fridays of the month. Let’s break that down for September:

• First Friday: September 6th
• Third Friday: September 20th

Since there was a fifth Friday in August, the non-custodial parent will have back-to-back weekends. After having the weekend of August 30th through September 2nd (Labor Day), the next visitation weekend will begin on Friday, September 6th.

Custodial Parent Weekends

As usual, the custodial parent gets the second and fourth weekends of the month. In September 2024, those weekends fall on:

• Second Friday: September 13th
• Fourth Friday: September 27th

Important Takeaways for September 2024

Navigating the Texas Standard Possession Order for September 2024 can seem complicated, but there are two key takeaways:

1. Thursdays During the School Year: Non-custodial parents get visitation on Thursdays during the school term, which resumes in September. These visits do not occur during the summer but are in full force once school is in session.
2. Weekend Extended by Holiday: When a holiday like Labor Day extends the non-custodial parent’s weekend, visitation lasts through the holiday. Be sure to review your court order for the provision about weekends extended by holidays, as this plays a big role in determining how long visitation lasts.

Final Thoughts

September 2024 may seem like a straightforward month, but paying attention to key dates and provisions in your possession order ensures that both parents are on the same page regarding visitation. If you have any questions about your specific schedule, it’s a good idea to review your court order carefully. Labor Day, Thursday visitations, and back-to-back weekends are all important factors to keep in mind this month.

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