Child Custody Orders Are Never Really Permanent Orders

Over the past couple of months I’ve had some clients that have been handed some really tough custody/decision making and parenting time results after trial. Unfortunately for these clients the kids are pretty young and they feel hopeless like they are never going to get to the point where they want to be with their children.

One thing I want to talk to you about is the fact that custody orders are never really permanent orders. Again, if and when there is a change in circumstances in you or your child's lives, either party can ask the judge to modify that custody and or parenting time order that is in effect.

I’ve talked about the different kinds of things that can constitute a change in circumstances in some of my other videos but I’ll mention them again here. If many years pass and say your child was one year old at the time the original custody order was entered and now your child is 4, 5 or 6, age may be one of the factors that a judge looks at. It’s probably not going to be the only factor. Maybe one of the parties has gotten remarried, maybe the child has new half-brothers and sisters or step-siblings, maybe one of the parties have moved, maybe the child is having educational issues and the custody and parenting plan arrangement needs to be looked at again.

So, if you are in the middle of a custody and decision making case and you’re afraid that maybe you are not going to get the result that you ultimately want, which may be that you want the kids most of the time or equal time, then never fear because custody orders are never really permanent. They can be changed as things change in yours and your children’s lives.

So hopefully this will keep your spirits high if you’ve gotten a custody result that you are not happy with and you don’t think is in the best interest of the children, remember this process is a marathon and not a sprint. Chances are especially if your kids are young, you’re going to end up going to court more than once. A court order entered when kids are 2, 3, 4 years old is probably not going to be the court order that is in effect when they are emancipated, graduate high school and turn 18.