For parents, a plethora of changes can make it more difficult to raise children, such as the loss of a job or an injury that was not expected. Sometimes, these changes are so significant that it is necessary for parents to modify their child support order or custody order. In Salt Lake City and the whole state of Utah, parents facing these difficulties should make sure that they understand the requirements and stay focused on securing healthy outcomes for their children.
According to the Utah Courts’ site, parents can modify a custody or parenting time order in the state. However, any modifications must serve the child’s best interests and the parent’s circumstances must have changed significantly after the issuance of the current order. Some examples of significant changes include switching schools, moving to a new neighborhood and a child’s parents remarrying.
When courts decide whether modifying a custody order is in a child’s best interests, there are several factors that they will assess. For example, they will review a parent’s relationship with his or her child, the behavior and moral conduct of each parent and whether one parent has a greater chance to serve his or her child’s best interests. Moreover, the court will review whether one parent has a higher likelihood of letting the other parent stay in touch with the child.
For parents and children, legal matters involving custody and visitation are often stressful. However, some families that carefully address their individual situations are able to obtain a positive outcome.
