When Things Change – You Need Child Custody Modifications!

Circumstances change over time and when they do, child custody lawyers understand that those changes can affect a parent’s ability to adhere to current custody orders.

Fortunately, child custody modifications can be made in certain situations.

Before seeking changes to a custody order, parents should consult with their attorneys to discuss any changing circumstances and whether they have grounds to seek a modification of the order to make life easier for everyone involved.

How Are Child Custody Orders Decided?

Child custody orders are decided and written with a focus on two things:

What is best for the child
What will most easily maintain the child’s relationship with both of their parents.

With this goal in mind, child custody lawyers and their clients negotiate to develop an agreement that satisfies the court’s custody and visitation requirements in a way that both parents are able to comply.

Through compromise and consideration, parents and child custody attorneys must find ways to adhere to these requirements, as it is up to them to follow the custody order in general, although they can make minor agreed-upon modifications on their own as needed.

How Does Texas Handle Custody Modifications?

While the Texas family court does recognize that parents may go through life changes that affect their ability to adhere to standing custody agreements, child custody modification requests must be made with valid grounds.

Grounds for modifications are considered to be substantial changes in circumstances that result in a significant life change.

In other words, parents are unable to seek legal modifications for issues that equate to inconveniences or minor changes that can be negotiated and worked out on their own.

In these instances, child custody lawyers can assist parents in resolving minor issues if necessary, without filing for a modification that will likely be declined.

What Are Acceptable Grounds for Child Custody Modifications?

Parents who undergo a substantial life change and are able to gather the required evidence with their attorney to support seeking one, can file for a modification to custody orders when they have sufficient grounds.

Some of the circumstances that may be considered by the family court to issue a child custody modification include:

A change in a parent’s living situation.
A change in a parent’s employment, work schedule, or income.
A move to a new city or state.
A change in the child’s needs.
The death of a family member.

Additionally, child custody attorneys may also be able to file for a modification based on the child’s preference if they are over 12 years of age, there are concerns for the child’s safety, a parent has violated the custody agreement, a parent has relinquished custody, or the fitness of one parent comes into question.

In all cases, requests for modification will be granted according to what ends up still being best for the child and the continuation of parent-child relationships.

Consult With A Child Custody Lawyer For Custody Modifications

When life changes make it difficult to adhere to existing custody orders, parents should contact their child custody lawyer to discuss their situation.

Sometimes, all that is needed is some professional advice from an experienced custody attorney on how to creatively negotiate minor changes without an official change to the custody order.

In circumstances where there are valid grounds to seek child custody modifications, an attorney will assist parents through the modification process, gathering the required evidence to support their request.