What rights to my child’s information do I have?
In a custody situation, parents may have questions that are not related to rights to the child’s information. For instance:
- What information am I entitled to?
- Is my child’s school required to give me information?
- What about my child’s medical records?
The law requires the following notice (from Minn. Stat. 518.17 Subd. 3(b)) in custody orders in Minnesota. This statute lists parents’ rights, regardless of custody designations. Therefore, parents have these rights unless a Court specifically finds that they shouldn’t and don’t.
Minn. Stat. 518.17 Subd. 3(b)
“EACH PARTY IS GRANTED THE FOLLOWING RIGHTS:
(1) right of access to, and to receive copies of, school, medical, dental, religious training, police reports, and other important records and information about the minor children;
(2) right of access to information regarding health or dental insurance available to the minor children;
(3) right to be informed by the other party as to the name and address of the school of attendance of the minor children;
(4) right to be informed by school officials about the children’s welfare, educational progress and status, and to attend school and parent-teacher conferences. The school is not required to hold a separate conference for each party, unless attending the same conference would result in violation of a court order prohibiting contact with a party;
(5) right to be notified by the other party of an accident or serious illness of a minor child, including the name of the health care provider and the place of treatment;
(6) right to be notified by the other party if the minor child is the victim of an alleged crime, including the name of the investigating law enforcement officer or agency. There is no duty to notify if the party to be notified is the alleged perpetrator; and
(7) right to reasonable access and telephone or other electronic contact with the minor children.”
Summary of Your Rights to Information
So, as a parent, by default you have a right to:
- Any important records (school, religious, medical, dental, police)
- Health and dental insurance information
- Name and address of your child’s school
- Information about your child’s progress in school
- Attend parent-teacher conferences
- Be notified of any serious medical issue related to your child
- Be notified if your child was the victim of a crime
- Reasonable access via telephone or electronic with your child
In custody disputes, arguments can arise when one parent denies information to another. Unfortunately, these disputes arise more often than they should. If the one parent denies access to this information, the other may need court intervention to help.
For other divorce or family law questions, please consult the list to the left or the FAQ page. If you’re interested in retaining an attorney to help you, please feel free to contact my office for a consultation using the contact information on the left or the contact form on the Majeski Law home page.