Karnataka High Court directs courts to use ‘parenting time’ instead of ‘visitation’; Justice Lalitha Kanneganti observes ‘no parent is a visitor in a child’s life’

October 19, 2026 - 12:26

The Karnataka High Court has directed courts across the state to replace the term "visitation" with "parenting time" when referring to the time a child spends with a parent who does not have primary custody. Justice Lalitha Kanneganti, who issued the direction, observed that no parent is a visitor in a child's life.

The court's reasoning rests on a simple but powerful idea. A child's relationship with a parent is not a booking, with a fixed check-in time and a deadline to leave. Yet in the language of custody proceedings, the time a child spends with the parent who does not have primary custody is often called visitation. That word carries a connotation of transience, as though the parent is a guest passing through rather than a permanent presence in the child's life.

The shift in terminology is meant to reflect the reality of shared parenting. A parent who does not live with the child full time remains a parent, not a visitor. The court's direction asks judges and lawyers to choose words that acknowledge this bond and avoid language that diminishes it.

The observation also touches on how language shapes perception. Terms used in courtrooms travel into orders, agreements and everyday conversation, and they influence how children and parents understand their roles. Calling the arrangement parenting time affirms that both parents have an ongoing responsibility and connection, regardless of where the child sleeps on a given night.

The direction applies to courts in Karnataka and is expected to guide how custody matters are described in proceedings and documents going forward.