A certain child custody order might seem appropriate for your child’s situation at the time it is entered, but as time moves on and circumstances change, the order might become unviable or even contrary to your child’s best interests. In those circumstances, either you or the other parent may file a request for custody modification. And when that happens, you need to understand how child custody modifications work and the things to think about as you consider them.
Tips for handling a child custody modification request
The specific approach that you take in a child custody modification request will depend on the justification supporting the motion. That said, here are some general issues that you should consider as you think about whether a modification to your child custody order may be reasonable:
- Above all, keep the focus on your child’s best interests.
- Provide thorough information about why you think a modification is needed to your attorney during a consultation so that they can give you proper feedback
- Consider Alternative Dispute Resolution methods, like mediation, before starting with expensive and time-consuming litigation.
- Think about what credible information and witnesses you can gather to support why you believe a modification is in your child’s best interest.
- Talk to the other parent, if possible, to see if they also believe a change is needed to better accommodate the child.
If you believe your current custody or parenting time arrangement may need modification, please continue to browse our website and contact us for a free consultation.