Can I Prevent My Ex’s New Partner from Meeting My Children?

It is understandable for there to be tension or bad blood between you and an ex-spouse, particularly when they bring a new romantic partner into the picture. If you do not like that new partner, you might wonder if you have any recourse to keep them away from your children while they are visiting your ex.

In most cases, however, you are not legally able to prevent your ex’s new partner from meeting and interacting with your children.

Introducing new partners

Both you and your ex have the right to enter into brand new relationships. The way in which you introduce your new partners to your children is up to you—it is generally recommended to do so slowly and sensitively.

One exception would be if you and your spouse in your divorce agreement expressly agreed that you would not expose children to a new partner within a certain amount of time. In such a case, your ex would breach the agreement by suddenly introducing a new partner.

Another exception would be if you had valid reason to believe your children would be in danger in the presence of the new spouse. If your child’s health or safety is at risk in their presence, you can raise this issue to the court and adjust visitation rules as needed. However, the circumstances in which this could be true are few, and keep in mind that just because you may not like the new partner does not mean they would be a danger to your child.

For more information about establishing ground rules for visitation and custody, contact an experienced Long Island child custody lawyer at Bryan L. Salamone & Associates.