Due to divorce or separation, there are quite a few Pennsylvania residents with children who have custody plans by which they must abide. If you are one of them and you feel like your current child custody arrangement needs changing, you may be able to successfully seek to have the plan modified. How can you go about doing this?
There are two ways to seek a custody adjustment. You can either try to work out a new plan with your former spouse or partner or you can take the issue to court. How you approach the issue will all depend on why you want the change and what the other parent’s feelings are about the matter.
Avoiding court is possible if you and your ex are willing and able to talk things out. You can do this in private, you can do this with the help of legal counsel, or you can even try an alternative dispute resolution method — such as mediation — to try to work out a new parenting plan. If this does not work because your ex does not agree with your modification request, going to court really cannot be avoided if it is something you still wish to pursue. To learn more about how to seek a custody modification, please feel free to visit our firm’s website.
If you have a desire for a child custody modification, your reason for doing so matters. Are you doing this for you or for your children? At the end of the day, the change has to benefit them. If it does not, a court will not approve your request. If you believe a custody adjustment will serve your children’s best interests, a Pennsylvania family law attorney can review your case and help you seek the modification — if doing so is deemed appropriate.