Divorce is messy. The process of dissolving a marriage can take a long time and is very stressful, even under the best circumstances. Because of this, you will likely not be easily motivated to reopen your divorce case if you need to modify your property settlement agreement or modify your divorce order. However, circumstances in your life may necessitate a change to the terms of your divorce order. In this case, a Loudoun County divorce modifications attorney can help.
At Melone Hatley, P.C., we have a long history of helping our clients make necessary modifications to their divorce settlements by truly being their partner through this process. Our team of experienced Loudoun County divorce lawyers will work tirelessly to help ensure a favorable outcome for your case. Get in touch today by phone or through our website to schedule a free case review with a member of our team.
How to Request Modifications to Your Divorce Agreement
After the terms of your divorce have been finalized, there are a number of reasons you may wish to make changes to the original divorce agreement. However, the legal process for making these changes can be difficult to navigate on your own. Fortunately, an experienced Loudoun County family lawyer can help.
Once you have hired a lawyer, they will begin the process of modifying your divorce settlement by filing a petition with the court. In this petition, your attorney will include the reasons you are seeking to alter your divorce agreement, along with evidence to back up your position. After the petition is filed, the opposing party will have the chance to review it and submit a response.
Your case will then likely proceed to a court hearing where both parties will have the opportunity to present their cases to a judge. After hearing arguments from both sides, the judge will rule on whether or not to grant the modifications.
Divorce Modifications Requests Initiated by Your Former Spouse
Of course, just as you may wish to make modifications to your divorce agreement, your former partner may also be interested in altering the terms of your divorce settlement. Hiring an experienced divorce modifications attorney in Loudoun County can prove just as critical in this situation.
Even if you and your partner agree that a change should be made to your divorce agreement, chances are that you will not be perfectly aligned about what those modifications should look like. At Melone Hatley, P.C., we will do everything in our power to block alterations that don’t work for you.
Common Changes a Divorce Modifications Attorney Serving Loudoun County Can Help You Make
When changes arise in your life or the life of your former partner, there are several modifications you may wish to make to your original divorce agreement. Some of the alterations most often sought concern:
- Child custody
- Child support
- Spousal support
Child Custody Modifications
Your life or the life of your former spouse can change in a variety of ways that create cause for revisiting the terms of a child custody arrangement. Some of the changes that most commonly lead to people seeking to modify a child custody agreement include:
- Change in living conditions
- Remarriage or another change to the household
- Changes in work schedules
- Job relocation
If you or your former spouse move, the new neighborhood and the state of the domicile may be significantly different from what your child was exposed to before. If the new living space creates living conditions that are drastically different from those that came before, a judge may decide to grant alterations to the original custody agreement.
Similarly, if you or your partner remarry or begin living with someone, it may be grounds to revisit your custody arrangement. The need to change the custody deal in this situation is especially pressing if there are any concerns about the safety of your new child around the new occupant of the household.
You or your partner may also find the need to modify your custody arrangement if there are any changes to either party’s work schedule. Furthermore, a joint custody arrangement may no longer be possible if one parent has to relocate for their job.
Child Support Modifications
If either parent undergoes a significant change to their financial situation, a change in the amount of money being paid for child support may be necessary. For example, if the parent who is responsible for paying child support loses their job, they may no longer be able to afford the child support payments.
Alternatively, if the paying parent sees a significant increase in the amount of money they are making, they may need to pay more in child support. Similarly, the parent receiving child support payments may need more or less from the paying parent if there are significant changes to their household income.
Significant changes to the child support arrangement can be necessary if changes are also made to the child custody agreement. In cases where primary custody shifts from one parent to the other, the parent that owes child support will typically flip as well.
Spousal Support Modifications
Like with modifications to the money being paid for child support, significant changes to the household income of either former partner can create a need to alter the amount being paid for spousal support.
Loudoun County Divorce Modifications
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Work With an Experienced Loudoun County Divorce Modifications Attorney Today
If changes in your life create a need to alter your divorce agreement, the best step you can take to ensure a favorable outcome is to hire an experienced divorce modifications attorney. At Melone Hatley, P.C., we have been helping our clients modify their divorce settlements for over a decade.
Contact us by filling out our contact form or giving us a call today and schedule your free, no-obligation case consultation.
