It is unrealistic to think that a custody agreement made at any one point will remain accurate and up-to-date forever. It is expected that as your lives evolve, your parenting agreement may have to as well to remain in the best interest of the child or children. For that reason, there is a mechanism for modifying existing custody and parenting agreements.

Temporary Changes

With the current challenges that millions of Americans are facing with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is possible that you and your ex-spouse will have to temporarily modify an existing custody or visitation agreement in order to operate in the best interest of your child. For instance, if one parent becomes sick or is a front-line worker, or loses their regular job and begins working the night shift, it may be necessary for parents to temporarily adjust the schedule to make sure the child is safe and cared for. It is important to note that temporary changes of this nature do not need to be approved by a judge, as you are not seeking to permanently modify the agreement. However, it is necessary that both parents clearly agree to the temporary change. It is best to clearly articulate the temporary changes in writing and have both parties sign off on them. This is because if your ex-spouse later tries to claim that you breached the existing agreement unilaterally, you may be held in contempt.