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Divorce Lawyer Rockville MD

As a child grows up after an initial custody agreement is established, it is very likely that circumstances will change, requiring custody arrangement modifications be made. Therefore, the law allows for this in specific situations. When a substantial change in circumstances occurs, an adjustment can be made to ensure the arrangement remains in the best interests of the child.

Are you considering making a change in your current custody arrangement? Or, perhaps the custody arrangements you had initially made with your child’s other parent are no longer working to your satisfaction or in the best interest of the child or children. If you are concerned that your original custody agreement is no longer working well in the current circumstances, a divorce lawyer Rockville MD may be able to help you. 

The following steps are needed when making changes to a custody arrangement:

Step #1: Communicate with Your Child’s Parent

Before pursuing legal action, it is essential first to make attempts to negotiate with the child’s other parent. This can avert the need to endure what may be a lengthy and emotional legal entanglement. Not only may it be possible to solve any disagreements amicably, but you may also be able to make a change much faster and with less expense.   

Step #2: Speak with a Family Law Attorney

Any attorney can play a crucial role in helping you to pursue your custody arrangement modification. The legal process can not only be time-consuming, but it can also be financially costly. However, when it feels as if there is nowhere to turn, an experienced and knowledgeable family law attorney can provide crucial counsel that may help you manage your case and stand beside you to help protect your rights.

Step #3: File a Petition

With the help of your family law attorney, the next step is filing a petition for a custody modification with Family Court. The petition should include details regarding your custody arrangement and any changes that you are pursuing. You will need to show the courts that the changes you are seeking are significant enough to warrant a modification. In most cases, the court will reopen the original child custody case and review it.

Step #4 Informing the Other Parent

Any child custody modification request you seek will need to be served to the child’s other parent. This makes sure that the other parent involved is fully informed of your actions and receives a copy of the changes you are looking to establish.

Step #5: Case Review 

The Family Court will schedule a hearing to review your case. Ultimately, a determination will be made based on the information that has been presented before the court. Once the claim is made and decided, whatever new agreements are created are then put into an official, written document.

Reasons Modifications are Necessary

Parents who dissolve their marriages know that child custody and child support are delicate situations. When a modification is proposed, the parent seeking the new arrangement will usually have several legitimate reasons to request a change. If your attempts to modify your current agreement directly with your child’s other parent are falling on deaf ears, it may be in your best interest to contact a divorce lawyer Rockville MD. Child custody situations can be emotionally-charged and nerve-wracking, especially if you are concerned about the safety and well-being of your child. Common reasons parents may request custody modifications include:

• Being worried that a child may be in danger, especially if there is violence in the home or your child refuses to return to the other parent’s house.
• The other parent wants to move some distance away.
• The child’s other parent is not following the original arrangement you made together.
• The current visitation schedule is not being upheld.
• The other child’s parent is not communicating openly or at all about the care of the child.

Sometimes, despite every effort made to make a child custody arrangement work for you and your family, it may not be possible to do so. Consulting with Daniel J. Wright, a child visitation lawyer in Rockville, MD can provide you assistance in managing and proving your need for a custody arrangement modification. Not only may an experienced attorney be able to help you pursue the process, but he may also be able to help negotiate an agreement that works better for you and the whole family.