Virtual visitation in Indiana is typically treated as a form of “virtual parenting time” that supplements, rather than replaces, in‑person contact, and is structured under the Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines and related court orders. Courts are increasingly incorporating co-parenting technology, e‑visitation provisions, and remote visitation terms into parenting plans when doing so serves the child’s best interests, particularly in relocation, long‑distance, or high‑conflict cases.
Virtual visitation in Indiana has evolved from an emergency workaround into a routine way to preserve parent‑child contact in an increasingly mobile, digital world. For many families, technology-based parenting time is now a critical component of custody orders, especially where distance, work schedules, or health issues constrain face‑to‑face time. This pillar guide explains how Indiana approaches “Virtual visitation Indiana,” including virtual parenting time under the Guidelines, co‑parenting technology tools, and how e‑visitation laws and remote visitation Indiana orders can be requested, drafted, enforced, and modified.
What Is Virtual Visitation in Indiana?
Virtual visitation, often called “virtual parenting time” or “digital parenting time”, is scheduled parent‑child contact through electronic means (video calls, phone, text, messaging apps, email, or gaming platforms) when the child is physically with the other parent. Indiana law does not define “virtual visitation” as a stand‑alone legal category; instead, these interactions fall under parenting time and communication rights in the Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines (IPTG).
Key points for families:
- Courts expect both parents to allow reasonable electronic communication between the child and the other parent during their respective parenting time, unless restricted for safety reasons.
- “Virtual visitation Indiana” orders usually specify method (e.g., FaceTime, Zoom), frequency, duration, and reasonable hours, and emphasize that calls should not disrupt school, sleep, or routine.
Legal Foundation: Guidelines, Statutes, and E‑Visitation Trends
Indiana’s primary framework for virtual parenting time is the Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines, which address technology, electronic communication, and co‑parenting expectations. The Indiana Supreme Court has expressly updated the Guidelines to account for electronic communication and clarified that discipline (such as taking away a device) may not cut off a child’s ability to communicate with the other parent.
Important legal foundations:
- The Guidelines state both parents are entitled to reasonable phone or electronic contact with the child during the other parent’s time, subject to the child’s best interests and routine.
- Indiana is among states recognized as allowing virtual visitation as part of parenting time, aligning with national trends that treat e‑visitation as a supplement to physical contact.
How Courts Use Virtual Parenting Time in Real Cases
Indiana trial courts apply virtual visitation flexibly, always through the lens of the child’s best interests. While there is no separate “e‑visitation statute,” virtual provisions are routinely included in custody, parenting time, relocation, and modification orders.
Common scenarios:
- Relocation and long‑distance parenting
- When a parent relocates or parents live far apart, courts often order increased video calls and electronic contact to compensate for reduced in‑person time, coupled with extended school‑break visits.
- Non‑traditional work schedules and travel
- Parents with rotating shifts, frequent travel, or military deployments may be granted structured virtual parenting time to maintain continuity between in‑person visits.
- Health, emergencies, and supervised/limited contact
- During illness or temporary safety concerns, courts may use remote visitation Indiana arrangements as a short‑term alternative or as part of supervised parenting time (including virtual supervision protocols).
Best‑Interest Factors and Practical “Do’s and Don’ts”
When assessing whether and how to order virtual parenting time, Indiana courts weigh standard best‑interest factors and case‑specific concerns. The focus remains on meaningful, age‑appropriate contact, not on maximizing screen time for its own sake.
Courts commonly consider:
- The child’s age, developmental needs, and comfort with technology.
- Distance between households, each parent’s history of facilitating or interfering with contact, and the level of conflict.
- Whether electronic communication will support or disrupt stability, schooling, sleep, and activities.
Practical “do’s and don’ts”:
- Do schedule consistent video or phone calls at predictable times that respect school and bedtime.
- Do allow private conversations unless there are court‑ordered safety or supervision requirements.
- Do document missed or blocked calls in a clear, factual way if interference becomes a pattern.
- Do not use calls to interrogate a child about the other parent or to expose the child to litigation issues; courts view that behavior negatively.
- Do not unreasonably monitor, record, or interrupt routine calls; this can be seen as interference with parenting time.
Co‑Parenting Technology: Tools to Make Virtual Time Work
Indiana courts and practitioners increasingly rely on co‑parenting technology to reduce conflict and create transparency in scheduling, communication, and documentation. These platforms support both in‑person and digital parenting time.
Common tools and uses:
- Co‑parenting apps (e.g., OurFamilyWizard, AppClose)
- Courts sometimes order these apps in high‑conflict cases to centralize messaging, calendars, and expense tracking, creating a clear record of compliance with parenting time, including virtual sessions.
- Video platforms (e.g., FaceTime, Zoom, Google Meet)
- Orders may designate primary platforms and backup options so technical issues do not become a pretext to cancel virtual time.
- Indiana parenting time calendar tools
- State‑provided calendars and calculators can be used to align virtual parenting time with existing IPTG schedules and holidays, helping parents visualize how digital contact supplements in‑person time.
Used thoughtfully, co‑parenting technology can significantly reduce misunderstandings and provide credible documentation if disputes arise.
Drafting Strong Virtual Visitation and Remote Visitation Orders
Well‑drafted virtual visitation Indiana orders are specific enough to prevent recurring disputes, yet flexible enough to adapt to a child’s changing needs and technology. In practice, orders often cover the following elements.
Key terms to address:
- Method and platform
- Identify primary and alternative platforms (e.g., FaceTime, Zoom, telephone), and who is responsible for providing devices and internet access.
- Frequency, timing, and duration
- Set clear expectations (for example, two 20‑minute video calls on weeknights and one weekend call) and specify time zones if parents live in different areas.
- Privacy and supervision
- Clarify whether the communication is private, monitored, or supervised (such as through a virtual supervised‑parenting‑time provider where safety is at issue).
- Make‑up virtual time
- Provide a mechanism to reschedule missed calls caused by technical issues or legitimate conflicts, along with timelines and acceptable reasons for postponement.
- Conduct expectations
- Incorporate basic rules (no disparagement, no recording absent court permission, no use of calls to discuss litigation) to protect the child’s emotional wellbeing.
Parents should work with experienced Indiana counsel to tailor language to the facts of their case, particularly in relocation, high‑conflict, or protective‑order situations.
Enforcement and Modification of Virtual Parenting Time
Interference with scheduled virtual parenting time can be treated similarly to interference with traditional parenting time and may lead to court remedies. At the same time, virtual provisions can be changed when circumstances materially evolve and modification serves the child’s best interests.
Enforcement tools:
- If a parent consistently blocks calls, refuses to facilitate access to devices, or uses discipline as a pretext to cut off all contact, the other parent may seek enforcement, make‑up time, or contempt remedies.
- Documentation, screenshots, app logs, call histories, and co‑parenting app records, often proves decisive when the court evaluates whether interference occurred.
Modification options:
- Parenting time orders, including their virtual components, may be modified upon a substantial change in circumstances and a showing that modification is in the child’s best interests (for example, a new relocation, changing school demands, or a child’s aging into adolescence).
- In relocation and post‑decree disputes, courts may adjust the mix of in‑person and digital parenting time to maintain meaningful relationships while accommodating new realities.
Practical Tips for Parents Using Virtual Parenting Time
Parents who approach “Virtual visitation Indiana” proactively, and with the child’s perspective at the center, tend to have smoother co‑parenting outcomes and fewer court conflicts.
Practical strategies:
- Treat virtual sessions like real visits: be on time, focused, and child‑centered, and avoid multitasking or distractions.
- Customize communication style to the child’s age: young children may engage better with brief video calls and shared activities (reading a book over video), while teens may prefer text, social media messaging, or shorter check‑ins.
- Use co‑parenting apps to confirm schedules in writing and reduce “he said, she said” disputes about missed or late calls.
- Revisit and update virtual provisions periodically, either informally by agreement or formally by court modification where required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is virtual visitation a substitute for in‑person parenting time in Indiana?
No. Indiana courts generally treat virtual parenting time as a supplement to, not a replacement for, physical parenting time, except in narrow, case‑specific circumstances involving safety or distance.
Can a parent unilaterally block or cancel virtual calls as discipline?
While parents retain reasonable disciplinary authority, Indiana guidance and commentary caution that restricting a child’s device should not eliminate the child’s court‑ordered communication with the other parent; cutting off access may be viewed as interference with parenting time.
What if my co‑parent refuses to cooperate with virtual visitation?
If informal efforts and co‑parenting tools fail, you may seek court intervention, including enforcement, make‑up time, or modification; detailed records of missed or blocked calls and hostile communication patterns are important evidence.
This blog was written by attorneys at Ciyou & Associates, P.C., and this blog is not intended to provide specific legal advice or solicitation of services as this is an advertisement.
