You want to move a significant distance from the town or city that you live in. Maybe you want to move out of the state entirely.
The problem is that you are divorced and you share custody of your children. When you make it known that you would like to move, your ex objects to that move on the grounds that it would violate their child custody rights. They are supposed to see the children at certain times, in accordance with a schedule that the two of you already agreed to, but that will be impossible if you move to this new location.
If you find yourself in this situation, it can be very frustrating to feel like someone else is controlling your life even though you’re no longer a couple. What can you do?
A good faith reason to move
What you sometimes have to do is to present the court with a good faith reason to move that shows that you don’t want to negatively impact that custody relationship. You’re not trying to keep your children away from your ex. That’s not your goal and you do have a valid reason to move.
Examples of reasons to move include things like taking a job you’ve been offered, going back to school, moving so that you can live closer to extended family members or trying to find a more affordable place for you and your children to live.
If you have a reason like this, then you can sometimes have the court modify the child custody agreement so that you can move and pursue these goals in your life. Just make sure you know exactly what steps to take so that you don’t accidentally violate anyone else’s rights.