While the custody agreement was put in place at the same time the divorce was granted, things are not going as planned. Rather than choosing to do nothing, it makes sense to seek help from one of the Child Custody Attorneys in Lake Elsinore. Here are some scenarios that call for advise from legal counsel and possibly some sort of additional legal action.
Failure to Pay Child Support
One of the more common issues that Child Custody Attorneys in Lake Elsinore deal with is the failure of non-custodial parents to make support payments on time. While it is understandable when the non-custodial parent loses a job or is in the hospital, those situations are rarely the reasons behind the failure to send those support checks. Before things get any worse, talking with an attorney is the smart thing to do. In some cases, a letter from the attorney will be all that is necessary to get those payments rolling in on time again.
Withholding Visitation Privileges
There are times when custodial parents attempt to manipulate the former spouse by finding ways to prevent visitation with the child from taking place. This can take the form of the child always having some event taking place that happens to be during the weekend that the child is supposed to spend time with the non-custodial parent. When it seems as if there is one excuse after another, it is time to take action. Consulting with an attorney can be all it takes to make an uncooperative custodial parent suddenly become much easier to deal with.
Changes to the Custody Agreement
After the child reaches a certain age, the court will allow that child to state which parent he or she prefers to live with. At that juncture, it is wise to have an attorney file a formal motion with the court stating the wishes of the child. Assuming there are no reasons to deny the request, the custody arrangement can be amended, so the non-custodial parent is granted physical custody and no longer has to tender support payments to the erstwhile custodial parent.
For help with any issue related to child support and custody, contact the Law Office of Michelle Penna today. Taking action now instead of later will ensure that the child has access to both parents and receives the full support that is deserved.