Richmond Divorce Modifications Lawyer

After your divorce has been finalized, several changes in your life could occur that lead you to want to alter the terms of your divorce. However, the legal process of modifying a divorce settlement can be complex and difficult to handle by yourself. Fortunately, an experienced Richmond family lawyer can help you every step of the way.

After you have secured the services of an attorney, they will start going through the required steps to modify your divorce agreement. Your lawyer will file a petition with the court, which will state the reason you are seeking a modification, along with evidence supporting your position. The opposing party will then have the opportunity to review the petition and file a response.

A court date will then be scheduled. At this hearing, each side will present their arguments in front of a judge. After both parties have made their case, the judge will make a ruling on whether or not to grant the modifications.

Of course, you can just as easily find yourself in a position where your former partner is the one petitioning to make changes to your divorce agreement. In this situation, hiring an experienced divorce modifications lawyer in Richmond is going to be the best way to defend against modifications that don’t work for you.

Even if you and your partner are on the same page about making changes to your divorce agreement, you will likely not fully agree on how those changes should look. At Melone Hatley, P.C., we will work to protect your rights and ensure a favorable outcome to your case.

There are a variety of changes in your life or the life of your former spouse that could lead you to seek modifications to your divorce agreement. Some of the modifications most frequently requested concern:

• Child custody
• Child support
• Spousal support

Child Custody Modifications

There are several life changes that can prompt parents to seek changes to the custody agreement they have made with their former partner. Some of the circumstances that most frequently lead parents to petition for a change to the custody arrangement include:

• Changes in work schedules
• Job relocation
• Change in living conditions
• Remarriage or another change to the household

If either parent’s work schedule changes significantly, they may need to seek alterations to the custody arrangement they have with their former spouse. Furthermore, in extreme cases where one parent has to relocate for work, a joint custody agreement may no longer be viable.

In cases where one partner moves to a new residence, there may be grounds to alter the custody arrangement if their new domicile or the surrounding neighborhood has conditions drastically different from those your child was exposed to in their previous home.

Similarly, a judge may rule that a change of custody is warranted if either partner remarries or begins living with someone. A modification will certainly be made if it is determined that the new occupant of the household poses a risk to the safety of the child.

Child Support Modifications

A substantial change to the financial situation of either parent can warrant a modification to the amount being paid for child support. In cases where the parent paying child support is let go from their job, they may no longer be in a position to afford the current payment amounts. Alternatively, if they see a significant increase in their income, they may need to pay more.

Substantial changes to the household income of the parent receiving child support can also lead to a modification being granted. Furthermore, changes in the needs of the child can lead to a child support modification being granted.

Another factor that can play a part in granting changes to child support is if modifications were also made to the child custody agreement. For example, if primary custody shifted from one parent to the other, the parent responsible for paying the child support would also likely change.

Spousal Support Modifications

Modifications to spousal support are often granted due to significant changes in the household income of either party. If the person receiving spousal support remarries, the judge may order the end of spousal support payments altogether.