Westfield Child Support and Custody Modification Attorneys
Serving Hampden County and All of Western Massachusetts
Divorce agreements are not meant to last forever, and when there's been a change in circumstances post-divorce, one of the parties usually files a complaint for modification. Several aspects of the divorce judgment can be modified, including child support, child custody, health insurance, issues relating to the child tax exemption, the cost of college expenses, etc.
When It Comes to Modifications, Every Court and Judge Is Different
At The Massachusetts Family Law Group, our Springfield attorneys are zealous advocates for clients seeking and defending modifications. Because we concentrate almost exclusively on divorce and other family law matters, we know how things work in the probate and family courts in Berkshire, Hampden, Franklin and Hampshire counties.
Although the same set of laws is applied, each court and judge interprets these laws and handles procedures a little differently from the judges and courthouses in other counties. For that reason, we assign our lawyers to specific regions and courthouses. Our attorneys are familiar faces to the court personnel and judges in the Western Massachusetts courts.
What Can Be Modified
Common modification issues include:
- Child support: Families change. Children grow up, requiring more – or less – financial support. They may require tutoring or other help not covered by their IEP. You may lose your job, or your ex-spouse may get a much better one. These and many other reasons are justifications for modifying a prior child support order.
- Child custody: Child custody, like child support, can be an issue in both divorce and paternity actions. You don't have to have been married to the other parent to seek a change in custody. Similarly, you don't have to have been married to modify a support order if one already exists. Our attorneys help clients seek modifications, or fight the other parent's efforts to modify an order due to relocation, illness, remarriage, work schedules, drug use or incarceration.
- Parenting plans: When parents want to go back to court and modify the parenting plan, common issues include the holiday and vacation schedules, the percentage of time spent in each parent's home, transportation arrangements (such as pick up from and drop off at school), decision-making responsibilities by either parent, and just about anything else that was determined by the original order.
Using the Approach That Meets Our Client's Needs
We have successfully represented clients on both sides of modifications. Because so many modifications involve children, we approach every case with a commitment to protecting the best interests of a client's child.
When it is possible to settle a modification matter, we work hard to achieve an agreement that both sides can live with. When the parties cannot agree, we are experienced trial lawyers who will go to court to accomplish our client's goals. We do it almost every day, and we have the knowledge and experience to fight and win.
Contact Our Springfield Divorce Modification Attorneys
If your former spouse has served you with a parenting plan modification action, or if you need to modify any other aspect of your current agreement, we can help. Contact the Springfield office of The Massachusetts Family Law Group at (800) 941-DIVORCE to get started.
