What is a parenting plan in Oregon?

A parenting plan is the written document Oregon parents file that spells out custody and a parenting-time schedule for their children. It works for parents who are divorcing, parents who never married, and a parent seeking to modify an existing judgment. Oregon actually requires the plan: in any proceeding to establish or modify parenting time, it must be developed and filed with the court and written into the judgment (Oregon Revised Statutes Section 107.102).

What is the difference between a parenting plan and a custody order in Oregon?

In Oregon a parenting plan is the written arrangement the parents prepare, while a custody order is what the court enters. Because Oregon requires the parenting plan to be filed and included in the judgment (ORS 107.102), the plan the court approves becomes part of the binding custody order. When the parents agree, they submit their plan and the court, if it finds the arrangement serves the child's best interests, adopts it into the judgment (ORS 107.137).

What does custody mean in Oregon?

In Oregon, custody may be joint or sole and carries the authority to decide the children's residence, schooling, medical treatment, and religious upbringing. Joint custody splits that authority between the parents; sole custody places it with one. Oregon then uses a separate parenting-time schedule, written into the judgment, to fix when the children are with each parent (Oregon Revised Statutes Section 107.169).

What standard do Oregon courts use to decide custody?

An Oregon court gives primary consideration to the best interests and welfare of the child, weighing the emotional ties between the children and family members, each parent's attitude toward the children, the value of continuing an existing relationship, any abuse of one parent by the other, the preference for a fit primary caregiver, and each parent's willingness to support the children's bond with the other parent (Oregon Revised Statutes Section 107.137).

Does Oregon require both parents to agree before a court orders joint custody?

Yes. In Oregon the court shall not order joint custody unless both parents agree to the terms and conditions of the order (Oregon Revised Statutes Section 107.169(3)). If one parent does not agree to joint custody, the Oregon court decides custody by awarding sole custody to one parent under the best interests standard, while still setting a parenting-time schedule for the other parent.

Is a written parenting plan required in Oregon?

Yes. Oregon compels a parenting plan. In any proceeding to establish or modify a judgment on parenting time, the plan must be developed, filed, and written into the judgment (Oregon Revised Statutes Section 107.102). Parents may keep the plan general, sketching the schedule broadly, or make it detailed down to the daily, holiday, and vacation routine.

What should an Oregon parenting plan include?

An Oregon plan should record whether custody is joint or sole and how major decisions get made, then run through parenting time: the school-day and weekend pattern, holidays, breaks, and summer, plus hand-offs, travel, and staying in touch. A detailed Oregon plan cuts conflict because it tells the court and both parents exactly which schedule the judgment carries (Oregon Revised Statutes Section 107.102).

Do I have to attend a parenting class in Oregon?

In Oregon it depends on your county. Many trial courts direct parents with children to finish a co-parenting or parent-education course before the judge signs the judgment, and each court sets its own course and timing. Confirm with the Oregon court handling your case whether a course applies and how to finish it.

Oregon Parenting Plan

An Oregon parenting plan sets out custody and the parenting-time schedule two parents file with the court under the best interests of the child standard. Attorney review available.

Find out where you stand in Oregon

What is your situation with the parenting plan?

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Introduction

A parenting plan is the written document Oregon parents file to set out custody and a parenting-time schedule for their children, and it is used whether the parents are divorcing, were never married, or need to change an existing order. In Oregon, custody may be joint or sole, and it covers who makes the major decisions about a child's residence, education, health care, and religious training. Oregon is different from many states in one important way: in any proceeding that establishes or modifies parenting time, a parenting plan must be developed and filed with the court and included in the judgment (Oregon Revised Statutes Section 107.102). The plan may be general or detailed. An Oregon court decides custody by giving primary consideration to the best interests and welfare of the child, weighing factors that include the emotional ties between the child and family members, each parent's interest in and attitude toward the child, and each parent's willingness to support the child's relationship with the other parent (ORS 107.137). Oregon does not force joint custody on parents who do not want it: the court shall not order joint custody unless both parents agree to the terms and conditions of the order (ORS 107.169(3)). DocDraft builds your Oregon parenting plan from your family's schedule, with attorney review available before you file it with the court.

Key Things to Know

1
A parenting plan is a written document that records custody and a parenting-time schedule for a family's children, used when parents divorce, when they were never married, or when an existing order needs to change.
2
Oregon requires a parenting plan: in any proceeding to establish or modify parenting time, a parenting plan must be developed and filed with the court and included in the judgment (Oregon Revised Statutes Section 107.102).
3
In Oregon custody may be joint or sole, and it covers the major decisions about a child's residence, education, health care, and religious training.
4
An Oregon court decides custody by giving primary consideration to the best interests and welfare of the child, weighing the factors in ORS 107.137.
5
Oregon does not force joint custody: the court shall not order joint custody unless both parents agree to the terms and conditions of the order (ORS 107.169(3)).
6
An Oregon parenting plan may be general or detailed; a detailed plan sets out the weekday, weekend, holiday, and vacation schedule and how the parents will make decisions and resolve disputes.
7
The plan binds only after the judge approves it and folds it into the judgment, and whether a co-parenting course is required depends on the Oregon county rather than a single statewide rule.

Key decisions before you file

Before you file a Parenting Plan in Oregon, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Parenting Plan guide walks through them.

Open the Parenting Plan guide

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OREGON PARENTING PLAN

This parenting plan is made between [PARENT 1 FULL NAME] and [PARENT 2 FULL NAME], the parents of the child or children named below. The parents may be married and divorcing, or unmarried, and this plan may also be used to modify an existing judgment. Oregon requires that a parenting plan be developed and filed with the court and written into the judgment, so this document may be kept general or made detailed as the parents choose (Oregon Revised Statutes Section 107.102).

Children covered: [CHILD FULL NAME, DATE OF BIRTH] [ADD EACH CHILD].

Custody and decision-making. The parents will hold [joint / sole to PARENT] custody. Authority over the children's residence, schooling, medical treatment, and religious upbringing will rest [with both parents together, reached by good-faith discussion / with PARENT]. An Oregon court will not impose joint custody unless both parents agree to its terms (ORS 107.169(3)). While the children are in a parent's care, that parent handles ordinary daily choices and may approve urgent medical treatment.
Parenting-time schedule. The children's primary residence will be with [PARENT], and the other parent's parenting time will run as follows. School days: [set out the weekday pattern]. Weekends: [set out the alternating or fixed weekend pattern, including hand-off times].
Holidays and special occasions. The parents will alternate or split these dates: [Thanksgiving, the winter holidays, spring holidays, and others, rotating by year or as agreed]. The children spend Mother's Day with [PARENT] and Father's Day with [PARENT]. Birthdays: [set out].
School vacations and summer. Winter and spring vacations will be shared [set out]. Summer parenting time will run [set out, such as week-on week-off or a longer stretch for each parent], and each parent will name planned trip dates in writing by [DATE].
Hand-offs and travel. The children will be exchanged at [LOCATION] at [TIME], and [each parent / PARENT] will drive for [pick-up / drop-off]. A parent running more than [NUMBER] minutes behind will let the other parent know promptly.
Staying in touch. The children may reach either parent by phone or video during reasonable hours, and the parents will trade news about the children's medical care, schooling, and activities and keep current contact details on file with each other.
Moving. A parent planning to move the children's home a meaningful distance will tell the other parent in writing at least [NUMBER] days ahead, so they can talk it through or ask the court to revisit the schedule.
Working out disagreements. When the parents disagree about this plan, they will try to settle it directly first and turn to mediation before going back to court.

This parenting plan is submitted for the court's approval and rests on the best interests and welfare of the child (Oregon Revised Statutes Sections 107.102 and 107.137). For the general template and other states, see the Parenting Plan hub.

Signed: _____________________ [PARENT 1] Date: __________ _____________________ [PARENT 2] Date: __________

Oregon Requirements for Parenting Plan

Parenting Plan Required and Filed
Oregon requires a parenting plan. In any proceeding to establish or modify a judgment providing for parenting time with a child, a parenting plan must be developed and filed with the court and included in the judgment (Oregon Revised Statutes Section 107.102). The plan may be general or detailed.
Joint or Sole Custody
In Oregon custody may be joint or sole, and it covers the authority to make major decisions about a child's residence, education, health care, and religious training. Joint custody means the parents share that decision-making; sole custody places it with one parent (Oregon Revised Statutes Section 107.169).
Best Interests and Welfare Standard
An Oregon court decides custody by giving primary consideration to the best interests and welfare of the child, weighing factors that include the emotional ties between the child and family members, each parent's interest in and attitude toward the child, any abuse of one parent by the other, and each parent's willingness to support the child's relationship with the other parent (Oregon Revised Statutes Section 107.137).
No Joint Custody Without Agreement
Oregon does not force joint custody. The court shall not order joint custody unless both parents agree to the terms and conditions of the order (Oregon Revised Statutes Section 107.169(3)). If one parent does not agree, the court awards sole custody to one parent under the best interests standard while setting parenting time for the other.
Decision-Making Provisions
Your Oregon parenting plan should state whether custody is joint or sole and how the parents will make major decisions about the children's education, health care, religious training, and residence. Under joint custody both parents share this authority; under sole custody one parent decides (Oregon Revised Statutes Section 107.169).
Parenting-Time Schedule
Your plan should describe the parenting-time schedule: the regular weekday and weekend routine, holidays, school breaks, and summer, plus exchanges and transportation. An Oregon parenting plan may be general or detailed, and a detailed plan reduces conflict by telling the court and both parents exactly what schedule applies (Oregon Revised Statutes Section 107.102).
Court Approval and Judgment
An Oregon parenting plan takes effect only when the court approves it and includes it in the judgment (Oregon Revised Statutes Section 107.102). When the parents agree, they submit their plan and the court adopts it if it finds the arrangement serves the child's best interests (Section 107.137).
Parenting Class Set Locally
Many Oregon circuit courts require parents in a case involving children to complete a parent-education program before the case is finished, but the requirement and approved provider are set by the local circuit court, not by a single statewide class. Check the rules of the Oregon circuit court where your case is filed.

Find out where you stand in Oregon

Introduction

Key Things to Know

Key decisions before you file

Customize your Parenting Plan Template with DocDraft

Oregon Requirements for Parenting Plan

Parenting Plan Required and Filed

Joint or Sole Custody

Best Interests and Welfare Standard

No Joint Custody Without Agreement

Decision-Making Provisions

Parenting-Time Schedule

Court Approval and Judgment

Parenting Class Set Locally

Frequently Asked Questions