You are a father, not a “visitor.” It is time the law treated you like one.

If you are reading this, you are likely feeling erased from your child’s life. Maybe the mother is withholding visitation to “punish” you. Maybe you are worried that a divorce will reduce you to an every-other-weekend dad. Or perhaps you are an unmarried father discovering that without a court order, you have zero enforceable rights to see your son or daughter.

At Dads.Law, we understand the unique pressure Oklahoma fathers face. The system often feels biased, slow, and frustrating. You need clarity, you need a strategy, and you need to know that your role as a father is worth fighting for.

Understanding Visitation Under Oklahoma Law

While most people still use the term “visitation,” Oklahoma courts are increasingly moving toward the term “parenting time.” This shift matters because words define reality: “visiting” is what you do with distant relatives. “Parenting” is what you do with your child.

The “Standard” Visitation Schedule

In Tulsa County and throughout Oklahoma, if parents cannot agree on a schedule, the court often defaults to a “Standard Visitation Schedule.” This is typically the minimum amount of time that a safe and stable father can expect to get in court. The schedule often looks something like this:

  • Weekends: Typically alternating weekends (e.g., Friday 6:00 PM to Sunday 6:00 PM).
  • Holidays: Alternating major holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break).
  • Summer: Often 2–4 weeks of uninterrupted time for the non-custodial parent during June or July.
  • Father’s Day: Always with the father.

Note: This is the “floor,” not the ceiling. We fight for expanded schedules, 50/50 splits, and arrangements that fit your actual life, not a cookie-cutter template.

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When She Says “No”: Enforcing Your Visitation Rights

One of the most common calls we get at Dads.Law is: “She won’t let me see my kids.”

In Oklahoma, a custodial parent has a legal duty to facilitate visitation. If there is a court order for you to have visitation, and she is blocking your time, she is likely violating that court order.

The Remedy: Motion to Enforce Visitation

You do not have to sit and wait. We can file a Motion to Enforce Visitation Rights in the District Court. If the court finds your rights were unreasonably denied, the judge can order:

  • Make-up time (usually identical to the time missed).
  • Reimbursement of your attorney fees and court costs.
  • Modification of the custody order (in severe cases).
  • Posting of a bond to ensure future compliance (in severe cases).

What NOT to Do

  • Do not stop paying child support. (These are separate legal issues. Stopping payment gives her ammo against you).
  • Do not cause a scene. (Do not bang on her door or shout. It can be used to get a Protective Order against you).
  • Do not wait. (Waiting months to file implies you are okay with the situation and damages your relationship with your child).

"Mr. Bacon’s strength of character—his respect, steadfastness, and dedication—set him apart as truly invaluable.

Under an impossible timeline and amid immense pressure, he provided me with the legal representation I not only needed but deserved. His actions remind me that courage and integrity can prevail, even in the most trying of circumstances."

-Al Hammamieh

Common Scenarios Oklahoma Fathers Face

Every dad’s situation is different, but the legal hurdles often look the same.

1. The “Gatekeeper”

The mother insists she “controls” when you see the kids. She cancels last minute, claims the child is “sick” without proof, or demands you jump through hoops to see them.

  • The Fix: A rigid, highly detailed Parenting Plan that removes her discretion and creates penalties for non-compliance.

2. The Unmarried Father

If you were never married, signing the birth certificate only establishes legal parentage. It does not grant enforceable visitation rights by itself.

  • The Fix: We must file a Petition to Establish Paternity, Custody, and Visitation to convert that piece of paper into enforceable parenting time.

3. The Move-Away

She wants to move the child to Texas, California, or another county, effectively ending your weekend visits.

  • The Fix: Oklahoma has strict relocation laws (Title 43 § 112.3). You have a very short window (30 days) to object to a relocation notice. We can fight to stop the move or restructure custody if she leaves.

Step-by-Step: Protecting Your Time in Tulsa

If you are facing a visitation crisis, follow these steps immediately to protect your legal standing.

  1. Document Everything: Keep a calendar. Mark every denied visit. Save texts and emails where she refuses access.
  2. Attempt Resolution (Once): Send one clear, polite email requesting your scheduled time. “I will be there Friday at 6:00 PM per our order.”
  3. Show Up: Go to the exchange point. If she isn’t there, wait 15 minutes, buy a small item at a nearby store to get a receipt (time-stamped proof you were there), and leave.
  4. Call Dads.Law: Do not call the police (they will likely say it’s a “civil matter”). Call us to file the enforcement motion.
  5. Prepare for Court: Compile your documentation of denied visitation and submit it to our office. We will thoroughly review it to ensure that we present only the most relevant information to the court.

How Dads.Law Helps Oklahoma Fathers

We don’t just “file paperwork.” We build a strategy to keep you in your child’s life.

  • We Speak “Dad”: We know the bias you feel entering a courtroom. We know how to present you not as a secondary paycheck, but as an essential parent.
  • Tulsa Court Experience: We know the judges at the Tulsa County District Court and how they typically interpret “best interests.”
  • Precision Drafting: Ambiguous court orders are a nightmare. We draft airtight parenting plans that minimize future conflict by defining holidays, transportation, and communication clearly.
  • Zealous Advocacy: We don’t start fights, but we finish them. If your rights are being violated, we use every tool in the law to correct it.

You Are Essential. Let’s Get Your Time Back.

Your children need their father. Don’t let a confusing legal system or a difficult co-parent push you out of the picture. The time to act is now—before the “status quo” sets in.

Contact Dads.Law today. Let’s schedule a strategy session to review your case, explain your rights under Oklahoma law, and map out a plan to get you the parenting time you deserve.

Can I stop paying child support if she denies visitation?

No. Under Oklahoma law, support and visitation are separate. If you stop paying, you risk being held in contempt of court or losing your driver’s license, and it makes it harder for us to enforce your visitation rights.

Can the police enforce my visitation order?

Generally, no. Most police departments in Oklahoma (including Tulsa PD) view visitation disputes as “civil matters.” They will rarely physically remove a child from a mother to give them to you unless there is a specific emergency order or a “Writ of Assistance,” which is rare. You need a judge, not a cop.

At what age can my child refuse to see me?

There is no “magic age” in Oklahoma where a child can decide. A child’s preference is one factor a judge may consider (usually starting around age 12), but the judge makes the final decision based on the child’s best interests, not the child’s stated preference.

What if I have a criminal record?

A past record does not automatically disqualify you from visitation. The court looks at current safety. We can often negotiate “step-up” plans that start with supervised visits and graduate to standard visitation as you prove consistency.