Child custody arrangements are to be created with the best interests of the child in mind. Despite these efforts, many parents will focus on what is best for them at the time the agreement is created. These agreements can work well for a couple of months, sometimes even years, before any issues arise. Today, we will discuss the reasons why you might need to request a change in child custody.
One of the most common, and most awarded reasons to have your custody arrangement modified is because you believe that your child is in danger. The court will look at the possibility of domestic violence in the primary residence of the child’s home, if the child has said he or she does not want to remain in the home, and if the danger to the child is immediate.
If the other parent involved in the agreement fails to recognize or stick to the visitation that has been scheduled, you can seek a change in the custody agreement. You will need to provide the court with reasons and examples of when the schedule was missed, the communications between you and the other parent and the original agreement.
An instance in which a change in the custody agreement is required is when the custodial parent passes away. Custody will need to be changed to either the surviving parent or another family member.
If one of the parents moves, it could be grounds for child custody modification. It all depends on if the move renders the current arrangement impossible to follow, what the motivation for the move is and if the parents already discussed a way to deal with the move.
Do you need to change the child custody arrangement currently in place with the other parent of your children? Doing so requires quite a bit of paperwork and legal positioning, which is why you should only do so with the help of an experienced family law attorney in Indianapolis.
Source: Findlaw, “Modifying Custody, Visitation and Child Support,” accessed Nov. 17, 2017
