On Monday, March 23, 2020, Governor Whitmer issued an Executive Order to “Stay Home, Stay Safe”. This order has raised questions among parents who share custody of minor children with another parent. My clients and former clients have reached out to me to ask, “do we still follow the custody and parenting time order for minor children while the Stay at Home order is in place?” The answer is YES. Under the Stay at Home order, individuals may travel “as required by law enforcement or a court order, including the transportation of children pursuant to a custody agreement.” Therefore, the Stay at Home order is not a basis to deny parenting time.

However, good sense and judgment should always be exercised by parents who share custody. If one parent is a high risk individual who works in the health care industry or is in contact to large numbers of people who may be infected, it is encouraged that parents communicate to determine what is in the best interests of the children and other family members. Of course, if another parent or family member has tested positive or is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, exercise caution and adhere to the CDC guidelines about self-isolation https://bit.ly/2wzaOQ0.

Be safe, use common sense, and most importantly, communicate with the other parent about the health and safety of all those concerned. Use Zoom or other video conference apps to stay in touch with those in self-isolation.

For a free telephone consultation, please contact me at jwc@chryssikoslaw.com or (248) 290-0515.