A family law firm in Tacoma, WA can help when a parent wants to petition the court for modification of the child custody arrangement. Typically, a family court judge will rule in favor if the modification is in the best interests of the children. The lawyer must establish solid evidence proving the children would benefit from this change.
Attempts to modify a child custody agreement can be stressful. The other parent will likely put up a fight. If this were not the case, the two parents could have resolved the situation on their own without needing a judge to resolve the matter. Even when the change is amicable and accomplished without the intervention of a judge, a family law firm in Tacoma, WA is still necessary to file the documentation with the court. Parents should never treat the situation casually. They should be sure to promptly set up the arrangement legally. Each person, then, is protected if someone decides this new arrangement is not working out, and that person cannot simply revert to the old agreement.
When the custody change petition is the subject of contention by the other parent, legal representation by a lawyer such as that of Scott Candoo is crucial. The burden is on the person who wants the change to prove the kids will do better if custody is adjusted. Family court judges do not want to disrupt the lives of the youngsters if there will not be a significant positive result. That disruption can have a negative effect.
What factors can lead a judge to agree? Consider a situation in which two parents share physical custody. Perhaps one parent will be working a large amount of overtime for the next several years and has been leaving the children with a babysitter most of the time. The other parent feels the youngsters would be better off in his or her home instead of being with a babysitter. Shared custody can be modified so one parent has primary physical custody and the other has visitation on non-working days. A judge may very well agree.
