When you and your spouse divorced, to continue your parental duties and obligations, you had a child custody arrangement made. This legal document detailed every important matter that would ensure the best interests of your child. As such, the agreement discussed where your child went to school, their dietary and medical needs, where they would live and how they were disciplined.
However, over time, most parents have to alter their original child custody order. But, parents can’t just make an amendment just out of the blue whenever they want, parents need to have a justifiable reason. Here are several common reasons parents need to alter a custody agreement:
Life events that call for a child custody order modification
As stated above, parents have to have a reason to alter to a child custody order. The reasons can’t be simply that a parent wants to make changes, but rather that there needs to be a major life event. Here are several instances a custody order is changed:
- ● If you’re moving: upholding your end of a custody arrangement would be difficult if you moved and, as such, would likely need alterations to ensure you’re given time with your child.
- ● Alterations for a growing child: as your child grows, their needs change and there may need to be a discussion with their other parent to make custody alterations.
- ● Changed marital status: if you or your ex-spouse remarry, then it may call for an altered custody order depending on how the marriage changes the parent’s life.
- ● Custodial parent’s death: your child would need sole parenting if their other parent passed away.
- ● Active military deployment: if you or your ex-spouse are in the military, then at any given point there may need to be drastic changes to a child custody order.
- ● Child safety: if you find your ex-spouse is harming your child, then you may need to make an alteration to their custody – the same can be said if your ex-spouse remarried and their new spouse is abusive.
If you believe it’s time to make changes to your child custody arrangement, then you may need to know your legal rights to ensure you keep the best interests of your child.