Occasionally, ex-spouses discover that custody or support orders can be an ongoing matter. A variety of life changes may take place including one or both spouses re-marrying, relocating, or the needs of the child evolving as they age.
Because circumstances change, orders are often requested to reflect those changes.
To help you better understand this process, we’ve compiled the most important details you must know about pursuing a modification of orders in Missouri.
Substantial Change of Circumstances
A legal proceeding is both emotionally and economically taxing, meaning that the court will need convincing to reconsider their original order.
With divorce and custody cases that involve children, this is especially true. In order to modify a court order regarding children, there must be evidence of a substantial and continuing change in circumstances to warrant the court changing its original order.
The best interest of the child is the primary concern of any court when considering a modification of custody. There must be documentation to support that the original order is no longer in the child’s best interest.
Several factors involved in the consideration of a child’s best interest include:
- The relationships between the child and parents, siblings, and other closely involved parties who may affect the child’s best interest;
- The child’s well-being as it pertains to their home, school, and community environment;
- The mental and physical health of all individuals actively involved in the child’s life, and whether there are any noted incidents of abuse; and
- The child’s preference and wishes as to who will be their primary caregiver.
If you are currently pursuing a modification of orders you will need the legal help of an experienced St. Louis Family Law Attorney. At the Galmiche Law Firm, P.C., we work to help our clients to pursue the best possible outcomes for their divorce and family law cases. To speak with someone on our team and get a free case evaluation, call (636) 552-4841 today.