Pretty much every parent wants their child to grow up in a healthy and loving environment. During custody proceedings, the court always takes into account the child’s best interest when awarding custody. However, you can petition the court to review the custody ruling if you can prove that the custodial parent is jeopardizing the child’s best interest.
A child custody order is a living document that can be modified if an appropriate modification petition is brought before the court. However, suing for modification requires skill and care. A denial of your modification suit can make future modifications quite difficult.
How can you convince the court that a modification is indeed in the best interest of the child? Here are two instances:
When the other parent is alienating you from your child
Parental alienation is defined as a deliberate attempt by one parent to keep the other parent out of their child’s life. Parental alienation can manifest in different forms. However, the consistent theme is when one parent actively wages a campaign to hurt the child’s relationship with the other parent. Parental alienation can happen before separation, during a separation or after the court has made a ruling on a custody arrangement. You can petition the court to review and modify the custody arrangement if you feel the other parent is alienating you from your child.
When there is evidence of substance and alcohol abuse
A parent who is battling substance and alcohol abuse can seriously endanger the child’s life and overall well-being. If you are concerned about the other parent’s substance and alcohol abuse, you may consider petitioning the court to modify the existing child custody arrangement. During the modification proceeding, the court may change the child’s custody, direct the affected parent to seek drug therapy or limit their contact with the child.
Child custody is usually one of the most contested issues during separation or divorce. However, the court can always review and modify custody arrangements when it is convinced that this is in the best interest of the child.
