Custody orders are legal documents that the courts can enforce if necessary. Parents who do not receive time with their children or who get frozen out of critical decisions can ask a judge to uphold their rights during custody enforcement actions.
Parents can also ask the courts to review and update the custody order when it no longer adequately addresses the needs of the children. There are many scenarios in which modifying a custody order might be necessary, with the three below accounting for a large percentage of formal modification requests.
1. Relocation scenarios
If either parent intends to move a substantial distance from the other or their current residence, a custody modification might be necessary. Larger distances translate to more costly and less frequent custody exchanges, making a schedule adjustment necessary.
2. Substantial scheduling changes
Teenagers participating in high school sports and parents beginning new jobs could also significantly alter the best division of parenting time. When the family faces a noticeable and lasting change in schedules, the custody order may need to evolve to reflect those new circumstances.
3. Changes in children’s needs
Sometimes, children fall ill or acquire injuries that increase the level of support they need. Other times, the emotional reaction to divorce can lead to declining academic performance and social withdrawal, which are issues that may require more hands-on parenting, as well as professional support. When the needs of the children change or the ability of the parents to meet those needs changes, the custody arrangements for the family may also need to change.
Working cooperatively to pursue an uncontested child custody modification or petitioning the courts for a contested modification can be helpful for parents who recognize that a custody order does not meet their family’s needs effectively anymore.