Parenting Time in Cuyahoga County

If you are going through a divorce in Cuyahoga County, it can be daunting trying to determine the parenting time of your children. In general, the courts would love for you and your spouse to come up with a plan that works for both of you based on the age of the children, your respective work schedules, where the children go to school, and the time that you have available to parent your kids.

If the parties can’t agree, though, the court has guidelines that it can use as a starting point to either be the baseline for parenting plan, or to serve as a jumping off point for parents. It is divided into three geographic distance plans, and four age divisions.

The court determines a residential parent (who has the majority of the parenting time) and a non-residential parent (who has the minority of the parenting time). These terms do NOT mean that one parent doesn’t get to have the child at their house or apartment.

Local Plans (parents live within 45 miles of each other)

Birth until age three

The non-residential parent has parenting time three times a week throughout the year, twice for 3 to 6 hours, and once overnight. This takes place every Monday and Wednesday, from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and overnight according to the following rotating schedule:

Week 1 – Friday from 5:00 p.m. until Saturday 8:00 p.m.
Week 2 – Saturday from 5:00 p.m. until Sunday 8:00 p.m.

Age three to age six

The non-residential parent has parenting time one midweek overnight and alternating weekends. The midweek overnight parenting time takes place every Wednesday from 5:00 p.m. until Thursday morning. The non-residential parent drops the children off at preschool, daycare, or school at the designated time. If there is no preschool, daycare or school, the non-residential parent drops the children off at the residential parent’s house by 9:00 a.m.

Weekend parenting time takes place on alternating weekends, Friday from 5:00 p.m. until Monday morning. The non-residential parent drops the children off at preschool, daycare, or school at the designated time. If there is no preschool, daycare or school, the non-residential parent drops the children off at the residential parent’s residence by 9:00 a.m.

Age six to age fourteen

The non-residential parent gas parenting time one midweek overnight and alternating weekends every Wednesday from 5:00 p.m. until Thursday morning. The non­residential parent drops the children off at preschool, daycare, or school at the designated time. If there is no daycare or school, the non-residential parent drops the children off at the residential parent’s residence by 9:00 a.m.

The weekend parenting time takes place on alternating weekends, Friday from 5:00 p.m. until Monday morning. The non-residential parent drops the children off at preschool, daycare, or school at the designated time. If there is no daycare or school, the non-residential parent drops the children off at the residential parent’s residence by 9:00 a.m.

Age fourteen to age 18

The non-residential parent has parenting time for one midweek overnight and alternating weekends. The midweek overnight parenting time takes place every Wednesday from 5:00 p.m. until Thursday morning.

The non-residential parent drops the children off at school at the designated time. If there is no school, the non-residential parent drops the children off at the residential parent’s residence no later than 9:00 a.m. The weekend parenting time takes place on alternating weekends, Friday from 5:00 p.m. until Monday morning. The non-residential parent drops the children off at school at the designated time. If there is no school, the non-residential parent drops the children off at the residential parent’s residence no later than 9:00 a.m.

Regional Parenting Plan (parents live between fourteen and 200 miles apart)

Same as above, except that midweek parenting time will be in the county of the residential parent, and the non-residential parent is responsible for midweek transportation.

Midweek time is Wednesday from 500 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Weekend parenting time ends at 8:00 p.m. Sunday instead of extending through Monday morning.

Summers, Vacations, and Holidays

Both parents have parenting time for four weeks each summer. These four weeks may not be scheduled in more than two-week blocks if the children are under age six.

If none of the children are school-age (i.e. in kindergarten or beyond), the four weeks may be scheduled at any time during the year.

By May 1st of each year, each parent must give the other parent written notice of the selected weeks. If the weeks chosen by the parents conflict, the non-residential parent’s schedule controls in even-numbered years and the residential parent’s schedule shall control in odd-numbered years.

Suppose a parent is exercising parenting time for four consecutive weeks and the children are staying in the community in which the vacationing parent resides. In that case, the non-vacationing parent may have two midweek days during the four-week period. If the parents cannot agree on the midweek, the non-vacationing parent has the first and third Wednesday from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.

Winter Break

The parents equally divide the children's winter break. The parents will discuss and agree upon the allocation of the break at least thirty (30) days prior to the commencement of the break. If the parents cannot agree on the schedule for the break, the break will be divided equally.

If there is no agreement, the parent who is scheduled to celebrate Christmas Eve has the children from the day school is adjourned for the winter break through the scheduled Christmas Eve holiday, and the parent who is scheduled to have Christmas day will have the children for an equal number of days. The remaining days of the break are equally divided with the parent scheduled to have the children for the New Year’s holiday including that time in their half of the remaining days.

Spring Break

The parents shall annually alternate Spring break with the Mother having the break in odd-numbered years and the Father having the break in even-numbered years.

Days of Special Meaning

The children spend Mother’s Day with the mother and Father’s Day with the father. If the parents cannot agree, parenting time takes place from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Sunday and the children spend the rest of the weekend with the parent who normally has that weekend.

The children spend Mother’s birthday with the mother and Father’s birthday with the father. If the parents cannot agree, parenting time takes place from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. for a child not in school on the birthday, and 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. for a child in school on the birthday.

The child spends his or her birthday with the mother in even-numbered years and the father in odd-numbered years. If the parents cannot agree, parenting time takes place from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. for a child not in school on the birthday, and 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. for a child in school on the birthday.

The child’s birthday is to be spent with the designated parent, even if the other parent is entitled to weekend, midweek, holiday, or vacation with the child. Brothers and sisters of the parties shall attend the birthday event.