Alabama · Alternating weekends
Alternating weekends in Alabama
The child lives primarily with one parent and spends every other weekend with the other. In Alabama this is written into a Parenting Plan, where time with a child is called visitation.
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Template for educational use — not legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney in your state.
Laws change; confirm current requirements with a licensed attorney in Alabama.
The rotation
| Week | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A | A | A | A | B | B | A |
| 2 | A | A | A | A | A | A | A |
About that numberThis figure counts the weekend rotation only. Most alternating-weekend plans also split holidays and give the other parent two to four weeks in summer, which brings the real annual share closer to 20% — the figure usually quoted for this schedule.
What Alabama expects
Alabama's Joint Custody Act states a policy of assuring frequent and continuing contact with both parents; joint custody is not presumed, so a plan that shows a workable schedule carries weight.
Governing law: Ala. Code § 30-3-150 et seq..
The honest trade-off
Long the default in American courts, and still the most common order — but twelve days can pass between weekends, and the weekend parent rarely sees a school night or a homework fight. Most plans soften it with a midweek dinner.