Substance Abuse & Supervised Parenting Time

Allegations alone don't move a court. Documented risk, structured testing, and a path back are what shape these orders.

Evidence and supervision

Courts want more than allegations — DUIs, positive tests, treatment records, missed exchanges, or witness accounts. Supervision options include a professional supervision center, a credentialed sober monitor, or structured visitation with testing, and orders can mandate random or scheduled testing (urine, breath, transdermal) with clear consequences for a refusal or a positive.

Support during treatment

Active use or inpatient treatment can temporarily cut income — file promptly to modify, though a court may impute income if a parent refuses to work despite the ability. Keep support flowing through the SDU with automatic withholding, and propose temporary arrears installments with review dates rather than a full suspension.

A path back

Tie increases to milestones — supervised visits, then unsupervised day visits, then overnights — contingent on negative tests, meeting attendance, and counselor verification. Where medical marijuana or medication-assisted treatment is involved, the order should address storage, no-consumption during visits, and prescription proof.

Since 1997, the child support attorneys team at Sinkin Law Firm has recovered unpaid support for parents statewide.