You and your ex-spouse may have been doing very well with the child custody agreement that has been in place since your divorce. But life throws curve balls every so often, and a circumstance may have developed that necessitates a change in your agreement.
You may be uncertain about the modification process, dreading the thought of going before a judge. An experienced family law attorney can help you through it. The modification procedure is not as onerous as you might imagine.
Moving away
There are many reasons to modify a child custody agreement. One of the most common is that one parent is undergoing a job change that will require moving to a destination that is either out of state or considerably removed from the present location. Will the children go along on this move or will they remain in place? The decision made by the judge as to child custody modification will be in the best interests of the children.
Managing an illness
In addition to relocation for a job, child custody modification might be required if someone has developed a serious illness — either one of the parents or one of the children — that will disrupt the present visitation schedule. It may even call for a change in terms of physical custody.
Dealing with issues with a new spouse and more
Your ex may have remarried, and you fear that the new spouse is trying to change the way you have raised your children, contradicting the values you have instilled in them. You might also have discovered that your ex has developed an addiction to alcohol or drugs or been arrested for a crime. These are all legitimate concerns that could necessitate modification to your original child custody agreement.
Understanding the requirements
The court will require evidence that supports your request for child custody agreement modification, such as a physician’s report confirming an illness or a letter from the employer requiring you or your ex to relocate. Your attorney will help you put together a petition geared to earn the approval of the court for child custody modification.