Substantial Change of Circumstances

O.C. Custody and Support Lawyer

What does the phrase “substantial change of circumstances” mean?

When parties have an existing custody or support judgment, unless both parties agree to a change, one of the parties must show that there has recently been a substantial change in circumstances that justify a modification of the existing judgment. This standard has been set for the purposes of ensuring stability in court orders and orders are not changed in less there truly has been a  significant change in the lives of the parties.

Significant changes often include a party losing or obtaining employment, death or serious injury to a party,  re-location, a change in the child’s wishes, etc. This however is not an exhaustive list of substantial changes justifying a modification. Proving a substantial change in circumstances is largely dependent on the facts of each specific case.

If you are contemplating or attempting to modify an existing child or spousal support order or custody order, an experienced attorney, such as the attorneys at Wilkinson & Finkbeiner,  LLP, would be able to assist you in your case. Our attorneys have handled many modification cases and will work with you to achieve the best possible result for your case.

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