Skilled child custody attorney Karen S. Brown believes that a child’s best interests should always come first. She has helped countless clients in the Los Angeles and Santa Monica, CA areas fight for custody, ensuring their child grows up in a nurturing, supportive household.
Lives can change for better and for worse. When changes arise, there may be a need for an important discussion about changing child custody arrangements. Let’s consider if modifications to child custody are possible, why changes may be made, and what is done to make these changes.
Can Child Custody Arrangements Change?
Yes. In fact, it is possible for a parent to lose or gain sole custody of a child in certain circumstances.
A child’s best interests are always at the forefront of child custody concerns. The circumstances in which a child is raised could chase drastically. If a child has special needs that have to be met, or a parent is unable to ensure the best interests of a child, it’s crucial that child custody be reconsidered.
Reasons for Modifying Child Custody
Some common reasons why child custody arrangements may be altered include:
One Parent Demonstrates Harmful Behaviors – If a parent is violent, neglectful, or has issues with substance abuse, they certainly do not have a child’s best interests in mind. Changing child custody arrangements can protect a child from serious harm.
A Parent Is No Longer Able to Care for Their Child – A parent’s circumstances can change drastically. The loss of a job, the change of a career, an illness, or an accident could render a parent incapable of caring for a child. In such instances, altering child custody arrangements is in the child’s best interests.
A Parent Violates a Court Order – Court orders should not be taken lightly. If a parent violates a court order for child support, child visitation, or other matters, that parent could experience changes in child custody as punishment.
Ways to Change Child Custody Arrangements
There are different ways to alter child custody agreements depending on the level of agreement between parents.
If parents are able to come to a mutual agreement about child custody matters in a discussion, they can make modifications together and then have these changes approved by the court. Not all co-parenting situations are this conflict-free, but when they are, they keep legal costs and disputes to a minimum.
When disputes arise over child custody arrangements, matters could be negotiated through lawyers or through a mediator. If an agreement cannot be reached through these methods, it may be up to a judge to decide on child custody modifications based on each spouse presenting their case.
How a Family Law Attorney Can Help
Emotions can run high in child custody matters, which is why it’s crucial to have a clear-headed and mindful attorney on your side. Your lawyer can help make your case and negotiate with your former spouse’s legal representative. We will have your child’s best interests in mind every step of the way as we offer legal guidance and counsel.
Learn More About Child Support Modification
If you live in Los Angeles and would like to learn more about child custody matters and how our law firm can help you, be sure to contact a skilled family law attorney. You can reach our law office by phone.