Newark Parent and Child Relocation Lawyer

Moving away from a former spouse and the co-parent of your child is a big decision that could affect your child’s family relationships and more. It is important to seek experienced, skilled representation if:

• You are moving away with your child.
• You are opposed to your former spouse relocating with your son or daughter.

In California, a parent must obtain approval before moving away from the child’s other parent. At CC LawGroup, A Professional Corporation, attorney Cynthia Cho helps custodial and noncustodial parents obtain the best outcome possible for their situation and works hard to protect the best interests of their children.

Please schedule an initial consultation to learn how a relocation could affect your custody and visitation agreements. You may call our Newark law office at 510-402-1579 or contact our family law office online.

What Steps Are Involved in Parental Relocation Cases?

Relocation cases typically involve a detailed review of the existing child custody and visitation agreement, as well as a motion to modify the agreement to reflect the new living situation.

Parents must attempt to mediate the situation before making arguments for or against the relocation in front of a judge. During mediation, both parties and their attorneys work with a licensed, neutral third party to see if they can reach an agreement. If not, then the parties can take their request before a judge. The first thing the judge will evaluate is the current custody agreement between the parties. For example:

• Joint custody agreements: If the parents have joint custody of a child, the nonrelocating parent has the opportunity to show that the move would adversely affect the child and is not in his or her best interests. The help of an experienced family law attorney is invaluable when arguing for or against a relocation.
• Sole custody agreements: A parent with sole custody is generally entitled to move with a child unless the relocation would significantly harm the rights and welfare of the child. This, of course, means that a parent with sole custody will not always be granted permission to relocate.

The court will also consider factors such as:

• How the move will affect the child’s need for stability
• How far away the move will take the child
• The age of the child
• The past relationship of the child with both parents (and potentially the child’s opinion)
• The reason for the move

Contact a California Child Relocation Lawyer