Custody agreements can seem daunting. After all, they are ordered by a court, usually following a long legal process. It is easy to understand why people tend to believe they are set in stone. However, while you cannot deviate from the written terms of the agreement, it is possible to modify them. Child custody and child support agreements are created in the best interest of the child. It is understandable that circumstances may change over the course of the child’s lifetime in a way that their interests would be better served by a different agreement or arrangement. Luckily, Florida courts do provide an avenue to modify existing child support and child custody agreements.

Do I Need to Go to Court for All Modifications?

It is important to understand that any changes you wish to make permanently to the existing child custody agreement must be approved by the court. In other words, you cannot deviate from the existing agreement, even with the agreement of your ex-spouse, unless it is simply for a short period of time. For instance, if your spouse tests positive for COVID-19 you can both agree to suspend the normal custody agreement until they test negative, at which point it will resume. However, even this agreement should be in writing as there is nothing to stop the other spouse from notifying the court that you are in contempt of the terms of the agreement. For permanent changes though, modifications must go through the court.