In filing for or defending against a child custody modification, there are many misconceptions that litigants should know in in order to be success in obtaining a modification or defending against. If these are not recognized and considered, it may hurt your legal position. This blog analyzes these problems so you can properly work with your counsel to address them as they come up in court.
The biggest mistake a parent may make in filing a child custody modification action is filing because of life changes, such overcoming addiction to street or prescription drugs. By itself, it is insufficient to modify ... Read More
Category: Custody Modification
25
Nov2020
05
Nov2020
When a couple divorces or establishes paternity, no party is a preferred parent. In other words, there is no presumption favoring either parent.1 Under the law, a father is just as likely to obtain physical custody as a mother—and fathers do obtain sole physical or primary custody in Indiana and throughout the United States. However, the parents and or children’s situations and circumstances change over time and a parent may seek to modify custody. This blog works through the basics of what you need to know about physical custody modification.
To move to modify custody, a parent must be able to ... Read More
16
Oct2020
As we all know, life happens, and circumstances can change quickly. That custody order that was recently put in place may seem to become impractical in a moment’s notice. Maybe you or the other parent are intending on moving to a new state. Or maybe the other parent married someone that you believe is harmful to your child(ren)’s well-being. Whatever the reason may be, Indiana has established a specific statutory code to deal with modification of custody. This blog provides a brief overview of modification of a custody order and the process behind same.
In order to modify a custody order, ... Read More
09
Oct2020
We quite frequently receive questions and complaints from clients regarding the other parent’s misconduct towards them or interference with their parenting time. These complaints tend to be followed with the question “can I modify physical custody?” Unfortunately, there is no hard and fast rule that can provide a ready answer to the question. Each custody case is unique, requiring an independent legal analysis. However, in this blog, we provide a quick overview of custody modification and when a parent’s misconduct or interference may rise to the level to modify custody.
It is important to note that in Indiana, child custody modification ... Read More
14
Aug2020
For many reasons, parents of children of divorce or paternity become estranged from their child. Psychological research shows that children are the most developed and have the best adult lives when they have a solid relationship with both parents. It may be a significant out-of-state move and/or re-marriage that has caused the split or, in some cases, it may be your child has been alienated by his or her other parent. This blog covers the major types of alienation and legal remedies you may utilize to re-establish the relationship.
In perhaps the most common scenario, a parent has simply drifted away ... Read More
22
Jul2020
In all child custody litigation—the original determination by a court or in passing on a modification petition—the trial court always looks at what is in the child’s best interests. In making its initial determination to award physical custody, there is no preference for either parent. With a modification, a substantial change in circumstances must be established and be in the child’s best interests. In this blog, we cover how courts consider the wishes of a child fourteen (14) years of age or older.
With regard to age, a child’s advanced age is important to two (2) significant types of litigation: custody ... Read More
24
Sep2019
Parents constantly worry about their children. The problem is magnified when the threat of harm to the children comes from your ex (or biological parent) as like you, they too have a fundamental right to raise their children. However, courts treat abuse—particularly physical abuse very seriously— as they are charged with always looking out for the children’s best interests. This blog covers legal tools you may engage to obtain “protection” for you children to key evidence you may need to make your case.
Depending on if your divorce case is filed (or paternity has been established), you have different remedies. Perhaps ... Read More
23
May2019
The family dynamic is something that is always changing, and there is certainly no “standard” or “normal” family. After a divorce or a final determination in a paternity case, often one parent of a child has what is called primary physical custody, and the other parent (the “non-custodial parent”) has what is called parenting time. The terms of the non-custodial parent’s parenting time may take many different shapes, but in general, if the parents cannot agree, courts often look to the Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines to make a determination on parenting time. The Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines prescribe several different ... Read More
14
Feb2019
Custody disputes between a minor child’s parents, grandparents, relatives, and/or others in a minor child’s life can arise in a variety of different cases – marriage dissolutions (divorces), paternity cases, and guardianships are just a few. Other times, one of the parties involved in a child’s life may petition for a modification of custody under certain circumstances. The type of evidence that you may be required to present may be different depending on the type of case you are litigating and the current custody status of the minor child who is the subject of the custody dispute. However, this blog ... Read More
13
Sep2018
Indiana trial court judges and attorneys encourage the parties to reach agreements in divorce and paternity cases. There is even a specific statute in the Divorce Act expressly encouraging custody agreements.1 However, Indiana trial court judges have a legal duty to watch over children of the marriage and ensure their best interests are met. For this reason, there are a few types of agreements the parties cannot settle for or even request the trial court to order in a contested trial. This blog addresses these four types of child-related terms the parties cannot agree to and why that is the ... Read More