Relocation after divorce: What Missouri parents need to know

The idea of having a global economy is commonly referred to in many aspects of life. On a different scale, workers may relocate to new cities, or new states, during a career. For parents who have already gone through a divorce, relocation may make a current divorce settlement unworkable.



People in Missouri may choose to relocate for a variety of reasons, including career opportunities. In these cases, a custodial parent is required to follow procedures to notify the other parent of the move. A non-custodial parent may challenge a relocation, but the law imposes a short time-frame to perfect that challenge.

Post-divorce modifications may involve a variety of changes in circumstances, including relocation. It is important for parents to understand that the court papers should reflect these changes to avoid complications.

Commentators say that the number of people who relocate to a new state is on the rise. Modifying child custody arrangements and visitation schedules may be necessary when a parent (or when both parents) decide to relocate after a divorce (which may occur several years after the divorce).

A substantial change in circumstances is generally required before a post-divorce modification can be sought. Like in any child custody dispute, the courts generally look at changes through the lens of what is in the child’s best interests.

Columbia, Missouri, area parents who are seeking to relocate after divorce, and where a child custody or child support order is in place, should consider working with a family law attorney in seeking to have the legal paperwork modified to reflect the new change.

Source: The Huffington Post, “In the Child’s Best Interest: What It Means in Move-Away Cases,” Lisa Helfend Meyer, Feb. 12, 2014