| Article 9 of Chapter 48 in the West Virginia Code | | | | schedules; information about the child's school and |
| details the state information about child custody. This is | | | | extracurricular activities; required financial information; |
| important information for parents to know if they are | | | | and areas of agreement and disagreement with the |
| involved in a custody case. Specifically, the state has | | | | other parent's plan. |
| crucial rules and guidelines that parents must follow as | | | | The court will look at the parents' proposed plans and |
| they create a parenting plan. This plan is the most | | | | then create a permanent custody agreement for the |
| significant result in a custody situation, and a mother | | | | case. According to Article 9 Part 205, the court will |
| and father should take great care to make a plan that | | | | make a plan that contains information about a custodial |
| is best for the child and that the court will accept. Here | | | | schedule that designates when the child will be with |
| are some facts from the law to help parents in making | | | | each parent, an allocation of decision making |
| their parenting plan. | | | | responsibilities between the parents, and a way to |
| The state of West Virginia, in Article 9 Part 2, requires | | | | resolve future disputes between the parents. |
| that parents make a parenting plan and file it with the | | | | Article 9 Part 206 explains that a child who is fourteen |
| court. If the parents have an agreement of custody, | | | | years or older has a significant say in the custody |
| they can submit a plan together and it will be accepted. | | | | agreement. The court will listen to the child's |
| If they parents are not able to cooperate, each parent | | | | preferences as to the custodial parent and the time |
| must submit a proposed plan to the court. The plan | | | | spent with each parent. |
| must include: the name, address and length of | | | | Part 206 also explains how the court decides the |
| residence of any adults with whom the child has lived | | | | custody schedule. The court will give each parent the |
| for one year or more; the name and address of each | | | | time that is associated with their caretaking |
| of the parents and any other individuals involved in the | | | | responsibilities. So, the parent who has been the |
| proceeding; a description of how caretaking and other | | | | primary caretaker usually receives custody of the |
| responsibilities have been allocated between the | | | | children. The other parent has visitation with the |
| parents; the work and child-care schedules of the | | | | children. |
| parents and any expected changes to those | | | | |