What Can I Do if My Ex Refuses to Follow Our Child Custody Agreement?
When parents divorce or separate, they will often have to abide by a court-ordered child custody agreement. If your ex refuses to follow this agreement, you are most likely concerned about the future of your child. Read on and reach out to our Alabama family law attorneys to learn more about these violations and how we can help you and your child. Here are some of the questions you may have:
What are some common child custody agreement violations?
The first thing that all parents should understand about child custody agreements is that their primary goal is to ensure the well-being of their children. That being said, any behavior or action that is not in the best interests of a child could be considered a violation of the core of a custody agreement. Parents can violate child custody agreements in many ways, though the most common types of child custody violations our firm sees are as follows:
- Having a substance abuse issue.
- Refusing to pick up or drop children off in accordance with the custody agreement. (In certain cases, when a parent refuses to drop off children, it may be considered kidnapping–a very serious crime.)
- Badmouthing the other parent to the child or otherwise acting to sabotage the relationship between the other parent and the child.
- Committing an act of domestic violence towards, or in front of, a child.
- Though developing a mental illness is, of course, not an inherent violation of child custody terms, if the mental illness prevents a parent from acting responsibly and in the child’s best interests, it may be grounds to request a child custody modification.
Do I need an attorney if my ex refuses to follow our child custody agreement?
If your ex neglected to follow your custody agreement, it may be best to simply speak with your ex to ensure the violation does not happen again. However, if the violation was particularly serious, such as an act of domestic violence, or you believe that there is no chance your spouse will cooperate, you should strongly consider retaining experienced legal counsel. Our Alabama family law attorneys can work to obtain a child custody modification to protect your child. In many cases, this will result in you obtaining sole custody of your child, as long as we can prove that the other parent is truly a danger to the well-being of your child. For any further questions, give us a call today.
Contact our experienced Alabama firm
Stone Crosby, P.C. has proudly served clients in Alabama for over 100 years. Our firm has experience handling matters including divorce and family law, estate planning and administration, business law, employment law, class actions, consumer protection, business law, real estate law, among many others. If you require quality legal representation, contact our firm today to schedule a consultation.
