How Is Parenting Time Determined In Minnesota?

The court will order a parenting-time schedule that it determines to be in the child’s best interest. 

 

Minnesota law sets forth twelve “best interest factors” that the Court must consider.  In setting the schedule, the court looks at things such as the child’s age, the child’s safety, and the child’s past relationship with each parent. 

 

In most cases, children benefit from ample time with both parents and the court typically wants both parents to be involved in raising their child.  Schedules in which each parent has 50% parenting time are becoming more and more common, but it depends upon whether such a schedule is determined to be in the best interests of the child.

 

In general, each parent gets at least 25% of the parenting time. This is usually calculated by counting the number of overnights in a two-week period. Four overnights in two weeks --  for example, every other Friday/Saturday and every Tuesday -- is approximately 25%.