Practice Areas

Post Decree Modification

Life has a way of changing regardless of how carefully we have planned. In some cases, after a divorce, legal separation, or allocation of parental rights and responsibilities people find that their parenting plans and support payments are simply not in line with their family’s current needs or financial situation. Modifications of parenting plans and support orders must be made through the court system in order to be enforceable. Additionally, it is often the case that parties to a valid court order do not follow those orders. You may not need a change in the orders issued in your case but simply need to enforce the orders you already have. If you have a prior court case and are in need of a change or enforcement of your current orders in Douglas, Arapahoe, Denver, Jefferson, Adams, and El Paso Counties, Opfer | Campbell | Beck P.C. can work with you to obtain a modification. Some of the most common modifications are:

There are options to modify a child custody arrangement or parenting plan when your current orders are no longer in the best interest of the child. As with an initial determination, the Court will only make modifications of parenting plans and child custody orders that are in the best interest of the child.

There are numerous reasons for changing a parenting plan or child custody orders. Common reasons include:

• Relocation or a parental move
• Loss of employment or change in job status
• Remarriage
• Domestic or family violence
• Substance abuse
• Unexpected medical condition

If you have experienced any of these or another change in circumstances which renders your current order not in the best interest of your children, talk to an attorney from our firm to find out if modification is right for you. We will walk you through the legal steps necessary to ensure that your parenting plan and child custody orders work for you and your children.

Financial support orders, whether they are child support or spousal maintenance orders, can be changed upon a showing of a substantial and continuing change in circumstances which renders the original order unfair. A modification of a support order almost always has to do with a change in income or expenses. Common examples of a substantial and continuing change are:

• Being laid off from employment
• Changing jobs or careers
• Needing to quit a job for health or childcare reasons
• Going back to school or entering an educational program
• Receiving a pay cut or pay raise
• An increase in health insurance, medical, education and/or work-related childcare costs
• A change in parenting time
• Emancipation of a child

If you have experienced any of the above and are in need of a change in the support you are currently receiving or paying contact an attorney at Opfer | Campbell | Beck P.C. We will work hard to help you obtain a modification in support that fits your current needs.

If a party is noncompliant in paying support or financial order or is not following a parenting order, contempt or other enforcement action can be filed with the court. Our attorneys are experienced and have the necessary skills to help you enforce your valid court orders. Consequences for a noncompliant party can include paying the other parties’ attorney’s fees, fines, changes in parenting time schedules, other sanctions and even incarceration.

Should you be in the position where you need to modify or enforce orders that are in place in your case in Douglas, Arapahoe, Denver, Jefferson, Adams and El Paso Counties, contact Opfer | Campbell | Beck P.C. at (303) 791-0995 or fill out the contact form below and let us help you through the process.