What to do if one parent isn’t taking measures to protect the child from virus exposure?

This is a time for co-parenting. While recognizing that co-parenting is not easy and can become heated, this is a time where parents need to come together and figure out the rules for both households.  Importantly, the conversation should not devolve into a blame game or name-calling. Keep your cool and focus on the issue at hand and work together for your children’s best interests.

If parents cannot come to a resolution, they can seek court intervention as a last resort. Because the Court system moves slowly, a parent seeking the Court’s assistance may wish to do so by filing for expedited temporary orders.  Since family courts have never dealt with a pandemic of this nature, it is unknown what any given judge would do. But when presenting problems to the Court, it is always helpful to present solutions. You could draft a new temporary plan that mandates isolation/social distancing, just as many intact families are now doing.  Keep in mind that the children’s best interests are paramount. In this case, that means having parenting time safely with both parents.