Four Reasons to Request a Child Custody Modification

For parents, spending quality time with their children is a top priority. If you have gone through child custody proceedings and have a current custody order in place, not adhering to it could result in serious penalties. If your previous arrangement no longer works for either you, the other parent or your child, it may be time to seek a custody modification.

When to Seek a Child Custody Modification

Under the Illinois Statutes (750 ILCS 5/600), careful consideration is given to the circumstances surrounding the situation before a child custody order is issued. A parenting plan may have been negotiated between the parents and their attorney before a judge issued a final order in the case. Once in place, changing an existing order can prove challenging.

There must be significant changes in circumstances to justify a child custody modification. Oftentimes, stipulations regarding these changes may have been included in the parenting plan. The following are four common reasons a court may be willing to grant your request:

• Changes in a job or a relocation: If a parent’s schedule changes as the result of the job, leaving them unable to care for the child at certain times, this is grounds for modifying the order. The same is true in cases involving a job relocation, where visitation will require the child to leave the area or state.
• Changes in the child’s needs or activities: A parenting plan may be highly detailed in terms of accommodating the child’s school schedule or other activities they are involved in. If the child’s schedule changes significantly, this could justify changes in the child custody agreement.
• Changes in the parent’s status: In situations in which there were allegations of abuse or neglect in the past, one of the parties may have been required to take parenting courses as a condition for seeing the child. Once this requirement is fulfilled, a child custody modification may be requested.
• Changes that could put the child in jeopardy: If you suspect your child is being exposed to abuse, neglect, or illegal activity, our Illinois child custody attorneys can request an emergency modification through the court, limiting your child’s contact with the other parent.

Reach Out to Our Illinois Child Custody Attorneys

At Sabuco, Beck, Hansen & Massino, P.C., we can assist you in filing the necessary legal documents and in gathering the evidence needed to justify a child custody modification. Call or contact our Illinois child custody attorneys online and request a consultation today.