The future comes with life changes that may cause issues with your child custody agreement. You may request a change to the order if circumstances are now different enough that the old schedule no longer works.
The court considers the best interests of your child before any other factor, and the primary goal is to make sure that both you and the other parent have enough quality time to form a healthy relationship.
Modification reasons
A child custody modification is a new judgment by the courts that changes or replaces the one currently filed. However, you must prove a substantial change in circumstances for the court to approve the modification. Reasons may include:
- Relocation
- Change in job or hours
- The child’s preference
- Finances
- Death
Another substantial change considered is the child’s activities as they pertain to school, sports or hobbies.
Statutory help
In helping judges determine the best interest of the child, Connecticut provides statutes that list 16 factors. Some of these include:
- Wishes of the child’s parents
- Any manipulation by the parents
- Active involvement of the parent in the child’s life
- Mental and physical health of all individuals involved
An order must already be in place with the courts before you can begin the modification.
To speed up the process, you and your ex-spouse can have a written agreement ready to present to the judge. Taking an active role in your child’s life and anticipating his or her needs or wishes may show the judge the changes wanted are in the child’s best interest.