For the first year after your Ohio divorce, your shared parenting plan worked just fine. The schedule was perfect, and despite a few hiccups, you were able to stay actively involved with your children throughout the school year and even during the summer months.
Now, something has changed. Maybe your children just started high school and have school activities that make a weeknight evening visit unrealistic. Perhaps your work schedule has changed and you can no longer take the kids to their sports activities every weekend.
What can you do when your shared parenting arrangements aren’t working for your family anymore?
Ohio lets you request a modification
The court can potentially change the terms of your shared parenting agreement at any point if there are substantial changes to your family circumstances. Situations such as the kids starting a new school or parents moving to new jobs could justify a formal modification request. This request is called a post-judgement modification. In fact, initiating a modification of an Ohio custody order could help you stay more actively involved with your kids after a divorce.
Get answers and take action
Your first step is to find an experienced attorney who will listen to your situation and let you know if it could qualify for a post-judgement modification. If you are able to proceed, your attorney can help you get the post-judgement modification process started. As with initial custody proceedings, modifications are definitely faster and easier when both parents agree about what changes are necessary.
When there is conflict about how much parenting time one adult should have or how to change things to reflect your evolving family circumstances, your attorney will be able to provide valuable legal input and options, advocating for you throughout the process.
