Can child custody orders ever be changed?
- Annette Benson Law
- Last Updated:
- Child Custody, Parental Rights
Child custody matters can be contentious and painful for Michigan parents to work through. When one parent refuses to negotiate or establishes unworkable expectations, it can feel as though decisions regarding where a child will live and how decisions will be made about them will never be made. Fortunately, parents caught in difficult child custody cases can get help from strong family law advocates.
Once a child custody decision is made, most parents will feel a sense of relief to know that their future, and that of their child, is somewhat planned. However, over time parents may realize that the terms of the custody agreements and orders they worked for no longer serve their kids’ best interests. Without providing legal advice or guidance, this post will introduce the important topic of child custody modifications following separations and divorces.
What is a child custody modification?
A post-divorce modification is a change to an order promulgated by a family court judge. Many aspects of divorces can be modified, including but not limited to spousal support or alimony, child support, and child custody. Generally, to change a child custody order, a parent would have to show that they or their child had experienced a change in circumstances to necessitate the modification.
What constitutes a change in circumstances for a child custody modification?
It is important that readers remember that different cases will proceed and change course based on different facts and conditions. What may constitute a change of circumstances for one family may not for another. For example, a parent who did not receive physical custody of their child at the time of their divorce because of their work-travel schedule may later seek to modify their custody order to include physical custody if they no longer had to be away for their job.
Whenever a parent believes that a change in circumstances has impacted the functionality of their child custody plan, they should contact their trusted divorce and family law lawyer. They may have options to make alterations to their orders that will better serve the present needs of their kids.
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