Northern Virginia Family Law Firm Assists with Parental Relocation Agreements
Arlington, Virginia Divorce Lawyer Will Represent You in Family Court
The Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA) is the law that allows custody orders to be enforced in 49 states, including Virginia. Under the UCCJEA, parents are able to move freely across state borders, with only minor restrictions. In relocation cases, the court cannot prevent a parent from relocating, and can only prevent the moving parent from taking a child with him or her.
If you and your former spouse have joint custody and one of you wants to move to another state, you will need to renegotiate the terms of your custody agreement. If you cannot decide among yourselves, the court will typically decide which parent the child will remain with, using the best interest test.
When a custodial parent moves:
- The child needs to establish a home school district.
- One parent will likely lose visitation time.
The parent who seeks to relocate with the child must show that the move will not damage the relationship between the child and the parent who is not moving. If one parent moves far away, courts tend to modify custody agreements by allowing extended summer visitation or more weekend visits during the year. A court will usually attempt to even out the visitation time for parents who shared joint custody before the relocation.
Contact an Experienced Virginia Family Law Attorney Today
Are you looking for legal advice regarding a parental relocation consent agreement? Claudia Zucker has been representing Virginia clients in family court for more than two decades. You may contact her online or call (703) 596-1005 to schedule your initial consultation today.
