Rule 11.070 Temporary Suspension of Visitation Rights When Termination Petition Filed

When someone files a petition to end a parent's legal rights to their child, this doesn't automatically stop the parent's visitation time. If the child is a ward of the court (meaning the court has legal oversight of the child's care), the parent keeps their normal visitation schedule while the termination case is being decided.

The only way visitation can be stopped during this time is if a judge specifically orders it. To get that order, someone has to show the court a good reason why visitation should be paused. Without that court order and good reason, visits continue as normal.

This matters because termination cases can take time to work through the court system. This rule makes sure parents aren't cut off from their kids just because someone filed paperwork to end their rights. The parent still gets to see their child unless a judge decides there's a real reason to stop it.