While virtual visitation — also called Internet visitation — has become a common term thrown around divorce courts throughout the country, New Jersey is especially keen for this innovative and controversial approach to shared parenting.

In the 2001 case McCoy v. McCoy, a custodial mother who had moved with her child with special needs from New Jersey to California asked the court to consider the concept for daily visitation via webcam as a viable option. The judge hailed the mother’s plan as a creative way to maintain daily contact between her child and the child’s father across the country.

Virtual visitation, continued contact via cell phone, email, Skype or other high-tech tools, has since received mixed reviews among the country’s family court judges. While advocates assert that the world has become palpably smaller by means of digital technology, opponents assert that, psychologists still believe that there is no substitute for physical contact. However, when physical visitation is limited by distance, imprisonment, hospitalization or illness, the vast array of communication tools available to parents and their children is a boon to continued and meaningful contact.

When creating a parenting plan, consult a divorce attorney who can support your vision for maintaining the best interest of every child, no matter the distance. Call the Oradell, New Jersey offices of Murano & Roth, LLC at 201.265.3400 or contact us online. We proudly serve all of Bergen County with excellent legal counsel.

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By Jason D. Roth