Summary
Every child deserves the love and guidance of both parents. Yet across Indiana, many parents are being denied court-ordered time with their children because the other parent repeatedly ignores custody or visitation orders — often with no real consequence.

This harmful behavior, called parental interference, damages children emotionally and undermines the authority of Indiana’s family courts. It’s time to make repeated, intentional interference a crime, not just a civil matter.

 
The Problem
Under current Indiana law, it’s only a crime if a parent takes, hides, or removes a child in violation of a custody order. But most interference doesn’t look like kidnapping — it looks like:

Repeatedly refusing to let a parent see their child,
Blocking phone or video calls,
Moving a child within the state to make visitation impossible, or
Turning a child against the other parent through manipulation or alienation.
These acts cause lasting harm to children and waste years in family court — often without accountability.

 
Our Proposed Solution
We call on the Indiana General Assembly to pass the Repeated Intentional Parental Interference Act, which would:

✅ Three Strike Rule: After three intentional violations, repeated interference with custody or visitation is classified as a Class A misdemeanor. After the third violation, it becomes a Level 6 felony.

✅ Apply to parents who repeatedly and deliberately block visitation, communication, or contact.
✅ Include a 14-day “cure period” for a parent to correct the behavior before criminal penalties apply.
✅ Protect parents who restrict contact for legitimate safety reasons, such as abuse or danger to the child.
✅ Allow judges to order counseling, mediation, or reunification programs to help restore family relationships.

This law balances accountability with compassion — focusing on what’s best for children, not punishment for parents acting in good faith.

 
Why It Matters
Children suffer most when one parent is erased from their lives.
Court orders must mean something — otherwise, the system loses credibility.
Good parents deserve protection from years of costly, draining legal battles.
Indiana can lead the nation in protecting children’s right to both parents.
 
Our Goal
We urge Indiana lawmakers to support this reform in the next legislative session and make Indiana a state where court-ordered parenting time truly matters.

Every child has a right to both parents, and both parents have a duty to respect the law.

 
Sign if You Believe:
✅ Parenting time should be respected
✅ Children need both parents
✅ Repeated interference should carry real consequences
✅ Fairness and accountability make families stronger

 
📄 Learn more: you can click here to read the 👉Full Legislative Draft proposal