Child relocation and modification of court orders

On behalf of Stange Law Firm, PC posted in Child Custody on Thursday, January 5, 2017.

For many former spouses in Missouri, it was a long, hard road traveled to achieve amicable solutions to divorce matters pertaining to their children. Even after a plan is set in place, however, challenging issues may continue to arise. For instance, if a parent seeks modification of court orders for the purpose of child relocation, it can lead to a whole new string of contentious debates.

Lifestyle changes often occur when divorced parents remarry or obtain new jobs. Sometimes, these situations require moving to a new city or state (or country, for that matter). The court typically requires that a parent seeking a court order change to provide evidence that there is a definite need because of unanticipated changes.

One former couple in another state had developed a parenting plan concerning their son, who happens to be autistic. At first, things were reportedly going very well until a breakdown in communication and the mother’s announcement that she was moving and was enrolling her son in a new school occurred. The situation landed both parents back in court to resolve the issue.

Generally speaking, the court tends to emphasize a child’s need for stability when making decisions regarding child relocation or other custody issues. This is not to say that there is never a valid reason for requesting modification of an existing court order. Because such situations are often complex, it is usually within a Missouri parent’s best interests to seek guidance from a family law attorney before proceeding to court.

Source: vtdigger.org, “SCOV Law Blog: Amending a child custody decision“, Elizabeth Kruska, Dec. 30, 2016

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