Move-away child custody cases challenge family law judges

When family law judges make rulings regarding child custody and parenting time in Wisconsin, they may make a decision that is based on the child’s best interests. If parents will be residing geographically close to each other, it may be feasible to create a child custody arrangement that allows both parents to take part in the daily life of the child. When one parent has plans to relocate farther away, the decision of the family law judge becomes more difficult to make.

Some of the most common reasons why one parent requests to relocate to a new area relate to a desire to be close to family or job opportunities. When a custodial parent has the desire to relocate, a request must be made to the court, and a family law judge must review the custody arrangement to determine if the move is beneficial for the child.

With distance between one parent and the child, there is an increased likelihood that the parent-child relationship may become strained. The parent may no longer be able to participate in the daily life of the child due to the distance between them. Because of the considerable impact that a ruling on a move-away request may have on the parent and child, the decision of the family law judge must be made with great care. A number of factors must be reviewed, and some of these include the child’s age, the child’s living arrangement preference, the distance that will be created between the parent and child, if the parents can agree to a co-parenting arrangement and other factors.

When a parent is dealing with a move-away situation with a child custody case, the assistance of a family law attorney in Wisconsin may be helpful. The attorney might help the parent to learn more about his or her legal options and to protect parental rights in a court of law.

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