5 Reasons A Judge Will Change Custody

When two parents divorce, the court will create a child custody agreement. What are some of the reasons why a judge would make changes to this agreement over time?

1. Failure To Comply With Current Custody Agreement

In the event your ex-partner is not obeying the current custody order, you should inform your lawyer as soon as possible. The child custody lawyer will investigate to determine whether there is a pattern of custody violations.

When there is a pattern, you can request that the court either modify or enforce the order. In general, the court will choose the option that is the least intrusive to the children that are affected by the custody order.

2. Child Abuse

If you have suspicions that your ex-partner, or someone associated with them, is abusing your child, you need to take immediate action.

Typical signs of abuse include:

• Sudden changes in personality.
• Unexplained bruises.
• Significant drop in grades.
• Skittishness near adults.

The court considers the signs of abuse to be an emergency. The court will usually act immediately to separate the child from the accused parent until the allegations have been investigated fully. Your ex-spouse may lose all custody rights if your suspicions prove to be true.

3. The Child’s Preferences

It is common for teenagers to be given deference by the courts. If your teen has a clear preference regarding which parent they wish to live with or how much time they wish to spend away from their primary home, this will matter to the courts.

Oftentimes, the court will take their opinion into consideration when modifying a custody or parenting time order.

4. New Agreement With Ex-Spouse

It’s possible the ex-spouses can come to a mutual agreement to make some changes to the custody arrangements as the years go by. If both parties can agree to changes, you should consult with your child custody lawyers. Your lawyers will ensure that the new plan is legal and let both parties present the proposed changes to the court.

5. Different Circumstances

For example, you might have needed to care for an aging parent when you were initially divorced. Unfortunately, the extra time caring for a parent may have interfered with your ability to spend time with your children.

Reasonably, the courts might have given primary custody to your ex-spouse under those circumstances. If this circumstance changes, it represents a legitimate opportunity to request a judge modify your current parenting time order.

Source: “5 Reasons Judges Change Custody And Parenting Time Orders” Johnson Turner https://johnsonturner.com/blog/child-custody/07/5-reasons-why-a-judge-might-modify-your-child-custody-and-parenting-time-order/