Reston Divorce Modifications Lawyer

• Seek legal guidance: Engage a knowledgeable Reston family lawyer to navigate the modification process.
• Draft and file your petition: Your lawyer will draft and file a petition for modification with the court, adhering to VA. Code Section 20-108 requirements.
• Opposing party response: After filing, the opposition will review and respond to your petition.
• Discovery process: Both parties engage in discovery, exchanging necessary information.

There are a variety of reasons you or your ex-spouse may wish to make changes to your child custody and visitation arrangement. The most common reasons a judge will grant a modification to custody and visitation include:

• Changes to living conditions
• Remarriage or other changes in the household
• Changes in work schedules
• Job relocation

If either you or your ex-spouse move into a new domicile, there may be reason to grant a modification. A judge will consider a change to your custody arrangement if the conditions of the new domicile and surrounding neighborhood are dramatically different from the conditions your children lived under in the previous home.

If either parent gets remarried or begins cohabitating with someone else, a judge may consider altering the terms of the original divorce agreement or order. The chances of a modification under these circumstances will be greater if the new party in the household potentially poses a threat to the health, safety, and overall well-being of your children.

Another reason to seek a modification is if either parent’s work schedule changes significantly. Joint custody may no longer be feasible if one parent is forced to relocate for work. Relocation cases are unique and are handled differently from standard modification cases.

Extreme changes in either parent’s financial situation can lead a judge to modify the size of child support payments in your divorce settlement or order. When the parent responsible for making child support payments loses employment, they may be unable to afford the current payments. Alternatively, a large increase in income can lead to an increase in child support payments.

Any significant changes to either your or your former spouse’s household income can sway a judge to modify the terms of your child support order or agreement. Furthermore, significant changes to your children’s financial needs can be grounds to seek a modification.

Of course, if there are any modifications to your custody agreement or order, child support payments will also be affected. 

For example, if the court makes a change to which parent has primary custody, the parent receiving support payments will now likely be responsible for making those payments.

Spousal support modifications are typically granted after either party sees significant changes to their household income. For example, if you have been paying spousal support to your former spouses and they get remarried, a judge may terminate spousal support altogether.