Most Arkansas parents just want what is best for their children. After a separation or divorce, many parents create a child custody arrangement that is suited to meet the needs of their kids. But children and their needs will change as they grow. What was once a perfect child custody arrangement may no longer serve the kids’ needs. Here are a few things that may indicate it is time for parents to consider modifying a child custody agreement.
Parental relocation
If a parent moves further away, it can make the existing child custody arrangement difficult or impractical. In an instance such as this, the court will consider modifying the current child custody agreement. However, before doing so, the court will look at the motivation and reasons of the parent who is moving, what interruptions will occur in the children’s lives by a custody modification and whether the parents have put forth an effort to rework the visitation schedule. In the end, the court will be guided by what it deems are the best interests of the kids involved.
When a parent is uncooperative
When one of the parents is being uncooperative or ignoring the current custody arrangement, the court may consider modifying it. In this type of situation, the court will examine certain things before considering a change. The judge will look at communication between parents, agreements reached by them in the current plan and the reasons why a parent is being uncooperative.
Legal action may be necessary when a parent is not fulfilling his or her obligations or, even worse, putting a child in danger. Any parent in Arkansas who needs help or has questions about making changes to a child custody agreement can benefit by speaking with a trusted legal professional. An experienced family law attorney can help clients present a clear and convincing case to the court.