Tri-Cities Modification

Parents must comply with child support and child custody court orders regardless of whether or not they agree with the terms. However, the terms that were initially ordered may need to be adjusted in the future. Fortunately, the law gives parents the right to request modifications to child support orders and parenting plans.

It’s not easy to modify a court order, which is why you should turn to an aggressive and knowledgeable attorney for help. The experienced child support and child custody attorneys at Pacific Northwest Family Law have helped countless clients successfully fight to modify their court orders. Book an appointment with our team today by calling 360-926-9112.

A modification is any change to the terms of a child support or child custody court order. Examples of child support and child custody modifications include:

• Increase or decrease in monthly child support payments
• Adjustment to the non-custodial parent’s visitation schedule
• Increase or decrease in time spent with either parent
• Adjustment to the child’s holiday or vacation schedule

Any request to change the court order—no matter how minor it may be—is considered a modification.

Parents cannot change the terms of a child support or child custody order without the judge’s approval. If you would like to modify an order, you must file the appropriate paperwork with the court and attend a hearing before the judge. During the hearing, the judge will review your request, allow you to explain why the change is warranted, and decide whether or not the modification should be approved. Let an attorney ensure that the judge understands why the modification is necessary. The attorneys at Pacific Northwest Family Law will stand by your side and push for the requested changes.

Family law judges will not approve every modification request. If you want to modify a child support order that has been in effect for less than one year, you must provide proof of a substantial change in circumstances. This may include changes such as the loss of a job, an increase in pay, or an increase in your child’s expenses.

If your child support order has been in effect for two years or more, you are not required to provide proof of a substantial change if you are requesting the modification due to a change in income.

If you are requesting a modification to a parenting plan, the judge will only approve it if you can provide proof of a substantial change in circumstances. The modification must be in the child’s best interests or it will not be approved. The judge will also consider these factors when deciding whether or not the major modification should be approved:

• Do both parents agree to the modification?
• Has the child been living with the non-custodial parent for a long period of time?
• Is the child in danger in their current living situation?
• Is either parent refusing to obey with the current terms of the parenting plan?

If the modification is approved, the judge will issue a new court order to reflect the changes to the parenting plan.

Adjusting a child support or child custody order is not as easy as it may seem. Turn to the experienced Tri-Cities family law attorneys at Pacific Northwest Family Law for help. Let us aggressively fight for the changes that you need to make the child support or custody order work for your family. To schedule a consultation with our family law attorneys, call 360-926-9112 or book your appointment online.