Generally, a court will award primary physical custody to one party and grant the other what is often labeled as “reasonable and fair” visitation privileges. The parent that wins custody is usually the one that has the power to determine what exactly is “reasonable and fair.” This, especially in the context of contentious divorces, subsequently leads to the unfortunate scenario in which the noncustodial parent is largely deprived of any real visitation time with their children. In order to circumvent such a situation, the majority of state courts now request that parents submit a comprehensive parenting plan that explicitly establishes a visitation timeline and clarifies which party has authority to make important long-term decisions that will significantly impact the child’s life.