As the lives and circumstances of divorced parents change, child custody orders may be changed
also so that as you and your children grow and change, so can the terms of your child custody
order. The law allows parents to request modifications to previously issued child custody and
visitation orders in certain situations.
In order for a parent to have a child custody or visitation order modified there must have been a
substantial
change in circumstances that affects the best interests of the child. If such a
substantial change exists, the parent may then file a motion for modification with the court that
has jurisdiction over the child custody matter. The court with jurisdiction will normally be the
court that issued the original order in the first place. Examples of substantial changes in
circumstances may include such things as the arrest of a parent, abuse of the child, domestic
violence that has occurred, a necessary relocation, a change in a child's or a parent's health or
psychological status, or other such events that have a large impact on the child.
As in all matters involving questions of custody and visitation, the
best interests of the child
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