AM I STUCK WITH MY CUSTODY SCHEDULE IN VA?

Perhaps you divorced when your children were young, and now that they’re older, the schedule feels cumbersome to maintain with a heavy home work load and extracurriculars. Or, when you divorced you and your spouse lived within a half hour of each other, but your job requires you to relocate out of state. Life changes, and custody agreements can too.

Major life changes make the question, “Am I stuck with my custody schedule in Virginia?” A very valid one. Michelle Hopkins offers insight below.

In some cases, both parents mutually agree to change the custody arrangement. In this circumstance, the parties simply need to formalize the new arrangements they’ve agreed upon with the assistance of a good lawyer, such as Michelle Hopkins or Tyler Melton.

When parties are on good terms, it may be tempting to save money by agreeing to new terms via handshake rather than memorializing them in a formal agreement reviewed and drafted by a lawyer. However, it is never wise to do so.

While you may be on good terms now, the tides may turn when one party finds a new relationship or a disagreement over parenting children on a certain matter arises. Without a formal update to the existing agreement, even if both parties initially agreed to make a change, if an issue comes up later requiring litigation, both parties may be found in contempt of the former agreement. In ordinary terms, a legal mess. Legal messes are more expensive to clean up than involving the legal system properly the first time.

In other cases, one party requires a change and the other party does not agree to change the custody schedule. In those circumstances, the party seeking the change would hire an attorney and petition the Court to reopen the case so that they may argue why a change in schedule is necessary.

No matter which way you anticipate your custody case going, Michelle Hopkins and her legal team have experience with amicable agreement updates, contentious court cases, and everything in-between. They are ready to assist you, their legal experience and prowess ready to serve your family’s individual needs.

Schedule A Consultation

If your custody schedule no longer works for your family’s needs, contact us today at 571-248-2210 or info@mhopkinslaw.com to schedule a consultation.