The custody order or parenting plan from your New Hampshire divorce determines all of your responsibilities and rights as a parent. You and your ex need to abide by the terms set in that order and work with one another to share custody of your children.
Even if you and your ex try to work together, situations can arrive that demand re-evaluation of your custody arrangements. How do you know if the changes in your family are enough to justify making a modification request?
Did major circumstances in your life change?
Sometimes, the division of parenting time is a direct reflection of how far away one parent lives from the other or the demands of their job. If you buy a new, closer house or you start a new job with a more flexible schedule, you may be able to ask the courts to redistribute parenting time based on those changes to your circumstances.
Do you have concerns about the well-being of your children?
Shared custody can sometimes lead to situations that aren’t good for the children. For example, one parent may try to alienate the children from the other, withholding parenting time or intentionally interfering in the relationship.
Other times, please parents struggling to handle the transitions of divorce made get into abusive relationships or turn to dangerous chemical substances. In scenarios where you believe that the current arrangement does not adequately protect your children, you may be able to ask the courts to update your custody order.
If you and your ex agree about the changes that need to occur, you can usually request an uncontested modification request even if your circumstances would not otherwise meet the standard for modification. Thinking about your custody arrangements and how your life has changed can help you decide if pursuing a modification now is the right step to take.
