Ohio parents who are seeking to relocate after going through a divorce will have to get approval to do so by a child custody judge. While filing for the relocation can be an easy step, proving to the judge that the relocation is in the best interest of your child is a whole different story. In fact, there are many different reasons that a judge may deny a modification for relocation of your child custody order.
The move is initiated in bad faith
Child custody judges are all about determining what’s in the best interest of the child. The first area they’ll consider when you apply for a relocation is the reason behind your move. While there are many different reasons that a parent may want to move that are in good faith, some are in bad faith. Typically, a judge will deny a relocation order in the event that your move is initiated for the fact of seeking revenge against your ex, limiting your ex’s access to your children or trying to reduce the amount of child support that you’re paying.
It’s not in the best interest of your child
Picking a child up and moving them to a brand-new location can be traumatizing, especially for young children. Family courts know this and will weigh the different pros and cons of relocation to determine what’s in the best interest of the child. If a person is opting to move a long distance from the child’s current home, it’s going to be harder for a judge to approve that relocation order. If you’re moving to a new location where there are fewer family members around, a judge is unlikely to approve that relocation order as well.
Getting a judge to approve a relocation order for your child custody arrangement might be difficult to do. The judge will always decide in favor of the best interests of your child. For this reason, it is advisable to hire an attorney to assist you with your modification request.
