Seminole Child Support & Custody Modification Lawyer
Once a judge sets child custody and child support orders, the court is not typically eager to revisit the issue. Nonetheless, life doesn’t stand still. Often, a custody arrangement that made sense 10 years ago becomes out of date as your child ages or other unforeseen circumstances arise. Similarly, a person’s income and needs can fluctuate considerably over the course of 18 years, so a sensible child support order might also need modification.
Contact our law firm if you need help seeking a modification of child support or custody (or both). It’s critical to follow the correct steps. An informal agreement with your ex might sound like the easy way to go about it, but you want the legal protection that a court order provides. Call The Reep Law Firm today to speak with a Seminole child support & custody modification lawyer.
How to Modify Child Support & Custody in Seminole
One option involves reaching an agreement and submitting it to the judge for approval. The judge will make sure the agreement is in the child’s best interests. Parents often take this course when they simply want to change details of the parenting plan—such as who the child will spend the summer with, or which parent will have the children for the holidays.
More substantial changes might cause disagreement. In that case, you’ll need to petition the court to modify custody. It’s important to convince the judge that a modification is necessary:
- Child custody: You typically need to show a substantial change in circumstances to warrant modification. For example, your child might be endangered because your ex has moved into a dangerous situation. Or the custodial parent wants to relocate, usually out of state, so you seek primary custody.
- Child support: You need to show a meaningful change in income, depending on how long the current child support order has been in effect. If the order is less than 3 years old, you need to show a change of 15%. If the order is more than 3 years old, then at least a 10% change is necessary. For example, a parent might have become disabled, causing their income to collapse. As a result, they seek a modification of what they pay.
Our firm can review whether you have strong reasons for requesting a modification. Simply being unhappy with the status quo is usually insufficient.
We can also represent a parent seeking to block a modification. For example, you could be the custodial parent who is relying on child support from your ex. He now wants to decrease what he pays because he quit his job. We can argue to a judge that his voluntary departure doesn’t support a modification.
Call to Schedule a Consultation with Our Seminole Child Support & Custody Modification Lawyers
Until a judge modifies custody or child support, the old order remains in effect. Parents should follow the court’s order until they secure a modification. Call our office to speak with a Seminole child support & custody modification attorney to learn more about the process and your odds of success.
