Fort Collins Modification Lawyer

Co-parenting does not mean that the child’s parents have to stay in the same place forever. If one of the child’s parents moves away, the child custody arrangement will need to change.

However, it is important to note that parents cannot always move away whenever they wish. For custodial (primary care) parents especially, the court can require them to stay in the state if they plan to relocate the child with them.

Overall, if the relocation of one parent makes it difficult for the other parent to uphold their custody agreement, or if the move has a significant impact on the child, a modification may be made to the child custody and child support agreements.

As children grow, their set of needs often change. Though a toddler or young child may need time, attention, and financial support, a high school student is often reasonably self-sufficient. Once they are of age, they may get a job, join extracurriculars, or start/stop playing sports. All this can affect the amount of time, effort, and money each parent needs to commit to raising the child.

Similarly, a child’s needs can change after being diagnosed with a disease, disorder, mental illness, disability, etc. For example, more financial support may be required from each parent. Or, one parent may be more capable of caring for the child, and the custody arrangement may need to be changed.

If one parent violates the agreement, the court may decide to change the agreement altogether. Though this does not dismiss the parent from their obligations, a new arrangement may ensure that both parents contribute. For example, if a parent is supposed to have custody every other weekend but repeatedly does not show up to pick up the children, the court may decide that that parent should pay more child support instead of custody.

If a parent’s financial situation changes, such as earning a promotion or losing a job, they may need to modify the amount of child support they are paying.

If their physical situation changes, they may need to modify their child custody arrangement. For example, if a parent had been struggling with addiction when the child custody arrangement was created, they may have been deemed unfit to care for the kids. However, if the parent achieves three years of sobriety, the court may allow them custody of their children.

No matter the situation, financial or physical, the court has to see compelling evidence that the situation is different from when the agreement was created.

If it comes to light that the children are unsafe with one of the parents or are somehow being put in danger via the current agreement, a modification is warranted.

For example, if the parents have shared custody and the father’s new live-in girlfriend begins to physically abuse the kids, a modification is necessary to omit the father from having custody.

A modification can be requested in any situation in which the children encounter physical abuse, sexual abuse, violence, negligence, or other repeated dangers.