Divorce Settlement Modifications in Orange County

You may have already gone through the whole process with a mediator and/or in a court to determine the best arrangement for your family, but situations change. Either you or your ex-spouse may have lost a job, the child may have grown and require a different parenting plan, or one of you desires to relocate. There are numerous reasons why your current parenting plan, spousal support, or child support arrangements may now be inadequate or unfair. California courts are rather understanding about the many valid needs for change, so filing a motion is easy enough, but you certainly will want legal assistance to aid you through the whole rigmarole of establishing legally binding agreements, especially if this means going through court again.

Steps to Change Your Parenting Plan in California

If you feel that the current child custody arrangement is unfair to your child, then you will need to file a motion with the court and establish that there has been a change that calls for a modified parenting plan. For example, as a child gets older, he or she may have different needs, or the child's emotions or ability in school may be adversely affected by the current setup. One or both parents may want to relocate, a parent may fail to hold up an end of the agreement, or one parent may have a new significant other who is causing trouble. In the case of a parent wanting to move away with a child, it must be shown that this move would greatly benefit the child.

Demonstrating a need for custody change is simple enough; it is resolving the issues that can be costly both emotionally and financially. These are touchy subjects that affect visitation, father's rights, and perhaps grandparent's rights. You want this matter handled quickly and amicably to help your family determine the best arrangement of child custody. Experienced and caring family lawyers can help you find an optimal resolution.

Modifying Spousal and Child Support Payments

How to Change Spousal Support Effectively

If you need to change spousal support, then either both parties can sign a modified agreement to present to a judge, or a motion can be filed to have the matter dealt with in court. Some reasons why you may be able to change spousal support include:

• Job/income loss from the paying spouse
• Remarriage of spouse receiving support
• The spouse receiving support failed to act in good faith toward reaching self-sufficiency

If there is a valid reason to change spousal support, then you if you need to get a court hearing, you will need to fill out a form to get started, and then you will have to fill out further forms, working with court clerks, then serving your papers on your former spouse. In court, you will need proof of income and circumstance changes. If you no longer need spousal support or cannot afford to pay the full amount anymore, then you should get help from an experienced spousal support lawyer who can smooth out the process.