Should We Do Parent-Time Exchanges at a Police Station?

Divorce is tough.

When you’re going through divorce, emotions run high, and sometimes they overrun logic.

So, it’s no surprise that parent-time exchanges (i.e., when kids are exchanged between parents for visitation) can get a little heated.

Most of the time, it’s pretty easy to tamp down the emotions by ensuring parents don’t really interact much during the exchanges.

Easiest way to do this is by doing what we call a curb-side drop-off. In other words, the parenting dropping off the kids stays in the car while the kids walk from the car (parked on the curb) in to the other parent’s house.

Problem almost always solved.

But, there are those situations in which even a curb-side drop-off doesn’t help.

Sometimes, people simply can’t help but come out of the house to yell at the other parent. Or, the parent dropping off the kids will walk the kids to the house, just to bug the other parent.

And then things escalate.

Not good.

It’s at this point, when nothing else works, that you may think about doing parent-time exchanges at a police station.

Police station exchanges should be the last resort for two reasons:

  1. They’re really inconvenient.
  2. Kids hate them.

Think about it: instead of exchanging kids at home, everyone has to drive to a police station somewhere, wait, exchange your kids in front of cops walking around everywhere, and then drive home.

Also, kids are perceptive, which means they understand something is very wrong when mom and dad can’t be around each other except at a police station.

That in itself is traumatizing, and we don’t do things that traumatize kids unless all other options will traumatize them more.

Here is a list of how and where you should do parent-time exchanges, from best option to worst option:

  1. Drive kids to each parent’s home. Walk up to the house. Talk civilly about kids and whatever else you need to.
  2. Curb-side drop-off. Text to let the other parent know the kids are coming.
  3. Curb-side drop-off. No talking.
  4. Family member, instead of the parent, does the exchange at parent’s home.
  5. Significant other/new spouse, instead of the parent, does the exchange at parent’s home.
  6. Exchange takes place at a gas station or some other neutral location.
  7. Exchange takes place at a police station.

Again, the police station is the last resort. Do everything you can to not go there.

Call Brown Family Law

If you find yourself facing a Utah divorce, please call 801.685.9999 for an in-person consultation, or use our online scheduling tool.

Published On: July 11th, 2019Categories: Child CustodyComments Off on Should We Do Parent-Time Exchanges at a Police Station?
Share This Story, Choose Your Platform!
About the Author: Marco Brown
6d8a23cf114c43e68fc064216eff550b?s=72&d=mm&r=g
Marco C. Brown was named Utah’s Outstanding Family Law Lawyer of the Year in 2015. He graduated with distinction from the University of Nebraska College of Law in 2007 and is currently the managing partner of Brown Family Law, LLC.
Contact Us – We Are Here to Help You

Schedule a time to talk with us – we are here to help you. When you meet with your attorney, we will go over your entire case, your children, your money and everything else that’s important to you. Our goal is to remove the fear associated with divorce by protecting your money and maximizing your time with your kids, all within 3-6 months. We look forward to meeting with you!

Call us 24/7 at 801-685-9999 to Speak with a Live Representative
Get A Legal Consultation With An Experienced Utah Attorney
Your privacy is 100% guaranteed, your information will never be sold or shared.

While this website provides general information, it does not constitute divorce advice. The best way to get guidance on your specific divorce issue is to contact a lawyer. To schedule a divorce consultation with an attorney, please call or complete the intake form above.

The use of the Internet (or this form) for communication with the firm (or any individual member of the firm) does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Confidential or time-sensitive information should not be sent through this form.