You and your former spouse have recently divorced. You managed to settle the divorce relatively quickly and a custody arrangement has been approved by the courts.
Life, however, doesn’t remain static and your children will grow up quickly. Could this mean that the current child custody order might need to be modified? Is this possible?
Have the child’s needs changed?
Your initial custody agreement was implemented based on the best interests of the child. However, they have quickly developed since the time of the divorce and so too have their needs. The current custody arrangement allows for regular visitation but this is only once per week. The child is beginning to struggle with this emotionally and they don’t feel like they are seeing enough of the other parent. In these circumstances, it might be possible to request a modification so that the child can spend more time with the parent they do not live with.
A parent’s circumstances have changed
As previously stated, life doesn’t tend to remain static. One parent may receive a job offer to work abroad. This will bring in more support for the child in terms of finances, but it’s simply not feasible for the parent to meet their custody obligations anymore. If the circumstances of a parent have changed dramatically, the family court may entertain a petition to modify the custody agreement.
There are numerous reasons why it might be necessary to modify your current custody arrangement but the court will always focus on the best interests of the child. If you are in a situation where your current arrangement needs to be changed, seeking legal guidance will give you a better chance of making this happen.