Trusted Toledo Attorneys Here For You In Difficult Times

Your job offer would necessitate child custody modification

On Behalf of | Apr 17, 2019 | Child Custody, Child Support

The good news is that you have been offered a promotion with more responsibility and a higher salary.

The not-so-good news is that the job means moving from Toledo to Cincinnati, requiring modification to your existing child custody agreement. What will the court say?

Reasons for modification

Changes in life happen. It is unrealistic to think the child custody agreement that has been in force since your divorce four years ago would not require modification at some point. Health issues might arise for you or the other parent. Your ex-spouse may lose his or her job. Your child might have medical or dental needs requiring additional expense and changes to the parenting plan. Your petition for child custody agreement modification due to relocation is not uncommon.

In the view of the court

The court will always make determinations based on the best interests of the child. Therefore, you should prepare to answer questions. For example, the judge will want to know how relocation will affect your child. If his main residence is with the other parent and he will remain in Toledo, the only major change in his life will concern your visitation schedule. The court would expect you and the other parent to work out a new parenting time agreement that reflects the appropriate changes so that your child can spend as much quality time with you as possible.

If you have physical custody and want to take your child with you to Cincinnati, the court will want to know how disruptive this will be for him. Be prepared with information about the new neighborhood, the new school, what kind of leisure activities there are for your child and anything else you believe the court will use to weigh the decision of child custody modification.

The way forward

You are no doubt excited about the new job, but you also want your child to adapt to the resulting changes in his life in as easy a way as possible. With legal guidance, you can approach the matter of child custody agreement modification logically, reasonably and with every opportunity for success.