Prior Court Orders Can Change When Your Life Changes
Life is fluid: circumstances change, interests change, people change. Texas family law provides for relief for Texas families to address just such fluidity. It may become necessary for you to modify your parenting plan and/or child support agreement at some point after the first order involving your children. That first order can be in the form of a Divorce Decree, Paternity Order, or Order in Suit Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship.
In Texas, all modifications must first be filed in the same court in the same county where the prior order involving your children was entered. If your children have been residing in a different county for more than six months, however, the parties have the right to have the case transferred to the new county of residence of the children. This must be addressed by either party immediately upon the filing of the suit, however, or the right to transfer can be lost.
At the Law Office of Kimberly D. Levi, you will remain informed of such important family law information as the foregoing throughout the pendency of your case. Accurate information allows you to make accurate decisions. At the outset of any consultation involving a potential modification of prior orders, you will receive the detailed information necessary to allow you to intelligently assess your chances of success. And, if your decision is to proceed with the modification, you will continuously receive the information necessary for you to make informed decisions throughout the case.
Here are some examples of the types of child support and/or custody modifications available in Texas:
|
Life Change | Prior Order (i.e. Divorce) Modification |
| Your income increases or decreases | Child support payments can be recalculated using the formula. Either parent can request a child support modification. |
| Relocation | A parent will need court approval to move a child out of the geographic area designated by prior court order for the residence of the child. |
| Your child is having problems at school or home | Child custody can be changed if the court determines it is in the best interests of the child. |
| A parent is on drugs, has a drinking problem, or provides an unsafe environment for children | Child custody or visitation can be changed if the danger to your child can be documented. |
| An older child wishes to live with another parent | Child custody can be changed. |
The court will continue to have the ability to modify prior orders involving your child until your child reaches the age of 18, graduates from high school, or is otherwise emancipated.
Schedule a Lawyer Consultation
To discuss your child support modification concerns with attorney Kimberly D. Levi, please call 888-324-6330 or fill out the contact form on this site. Ms. Levi has more than 15 years of experience assisting families in finding sustainable solutions for the family in Houston, Texas, and the surrounding areas.
