Rights of Non-Custodial Parents in North Dakota
In North Dakota, non-custodial parents have certain rights and responsibilities as outlined in the North Dakota Century Code. These rights are designed to ensure that both parents, regardless of their custodial status, can maintain a meaningful relationship with their child.
Access to Child’s Records and Information
According to North Dakota Century Code 14-09-32, each parent, including non-custodial parents, has the right to access and obtain copies of the child’s educational, medical, dental, religious, insurance, and other records or information. This right ensures that non-custodial parents can stay informed about their child’s wellbeing and progress.
Attendance at Educational Conferences
Non-custodial parents also have the right to attend educational conferences concerning the child. This right does not require any school to hold a separate conference with each parent (14-09-32).
Communication with the Child
The law also provides non-custodial parents with the right to reasonable access to the child by written, telephonic, and electronic means. This provision ensures that non-custodial parents can maintain regular contact with their child, fostering a continued relationship (14-09-32).
Duty to Inform
Non-custodial parents have the duty to inform the other parent as soon as reasonably possible of a serious accident or serious illness for which the child receives health care treatment. They must provide a description of the serious accident or illness, the time of the incident, and the name and location of the treating health care provider (14-09-32).
Parenting Plan
A parenting plan must include provisions regarding decision-making responsibility, information sharing and access, legal residence of a child for school attendance, residential responsibility, parenting time, and parenting schedule, among others. Non-custodial parents have the right to be included in these plans, ensuring they have a say in their child’s upbringing (14-09-32.1).
Nonparent Rights
In certain circumstances, nonparents may also have rights regarding the child. According to North Dakota Century Code 14-09.4-04, a nonparent has a substantial relationship with the child if they have lived with the child for not less than twelve months, regularly exercised care of the child, made day-to-day decisions regarding the child, and established a bonded and dependent relationship with the child.
In conclusion, non-custodial parents in North Dakota have several rights that allow them to maintain a meaningful relationship with their child. These rights are protected by law and are designed to ensure the best interests of the child are met.