Often, the new year brings changes to people’s lives. Sometimes changes are directed by circumstance and at other times the changes are made by choice. Either way, a new year can signify a new beginning. As such, if you are a divorced parent who has joint custody of a child, this may be a good time to assess how your current custody arrangement is working out.
One important point of consideration may be if your personal or work life has changed in any way that affects your ability to adhere to the terms of the agreement. Depending on your answer to this question, you may come to the conclusion that the time is right to seek a modification of your child custody agreement. If this is the case, one of the first things you should do is discuss the matter with the child’s other parent. Hopefully, he or she will agree that a modification is a good idea.
But you will also need to get the court’s permission to have the terms altered. As is always the case, the primary concern of the court will be if the changes are in the best interests of the child.
In a best case scenario, everyone involved will agree that a modification is in the child’s best interests, and the process can be carried out relatively smoothly. However, if the child’s other parent offers resistance, you may need to take a more proactive approach to achieve your goals.
At the Tracton Law Firm, PLLC , we are able to provide legal advice and services to parents who wish to have their child custody agreements modified. We have experience helping parents seek positive outcomes to their custody issues, and further information is available on the pages of this website.