Can a family court stay a parenting motion until a related child protection matter is resolved?

A family court can stay, or temporarily pause, a parenting motion until a related child protection matter is resolved, but it's a discretionary decision rather than something that happens automatically - a party has to ask for it, and the court weighs whether waiting is actually in the child's best interests against the cost of leaving parenting issues unresolved in the meantime. Courts are often reluctant to leave a child's schedule and decision-making arrangements in limbo indefinitely, so a stay is more likely where the protection matter is close to resolution, or where deciding the parenting motion first would risk an outcome that conflicts with whatever the protection court decides.

If you're asking for a stay, be specific about why waiting makes sense in your case - for example, that the protection court is about to make a finding that will directly affect who the child should be living with - rather than asking for an open-ended pause. The court can also choose a middle path, such as making an interim parenting order now while leaving the final decision until after the protection matter concludes. A family lawyer can help you decide whether requesting a stay, or instead asking for an interim order, better serves your situation.