Angela Faye Brown & Associates, PLLC

Your Child’s Best Interests Are Our Main Focus

Experienced Guidance When Post-Divorce Disputes Arise

When couples divorce, the agreements they make regarding financial arrangements and care of the children usually reflect the best solutions they can craft at the time. As circumstances change, sometimes making changes to those arrangements is necessary or appropriate.

If you and your former partner cannot agree on modifications to an agreement you entered into at the time of your split, it is wise to contact one of our post-divorce disputes lawyers at Angela Faye Brown & Associates. An experienced divorce attorney might be able to negotiate an appropriate change to your agreements. If negotiations are unsuccessful, they can help you petition the court for the necessary modification.

Changes In A Child’s Needs Can Alter The Divorce Decree

As a child grows and develops, what they require to flourish changes, too. If children are quite young when their parents split, it could be impossible to anticipate how their needs might change. However, once it becomes clear that the parents’ agreements no longer serve the children well, modifications are in order.

For example, a child might have a serious accident, develop a chronic medical condition or require significant mental health support. The cost of their care might be higher than the parents had reason to anticipate when they made their financial arrangements during the divorce. A child’s increased medical needs could merit modifying a child support arrangement to ensure that they get the care they require. If the paying parent is unwilling to provide additional funds for that required care, one of our Houston divorce attorneys can help the custodial parent seek a court order modifying their child support.

In another example, at some point, it might become apparent that a child is better off living with the other parent. Sometimes, one parent is better able to discipline the child than the other, or the child might have extracurricular interests like sports or music that are easier for the other parent to meet. In such cases, modifications of orders regarding the child’s primary residence could be possible.

Changes In A Parent’s Circumstances Impacts Child Arrangements

A parent’s needs and capabilities also change with time. Sometimes those changes require that agreements between former spouses change, too. If the former spouses do not agree on whether a change in their lives requires altering an agreement, our Houston attorneys can supply advice. Texas Family Code §156.002 provides a mechanism for former spouses to go to court to seek such changes.

Child Custody

If a custodial parent becomes ill or disabled, changing the child custody agreement to make the other parent’s home their primary residence might be beneficial. Transferring primary physical custody might be necessary if the custodial parent develops a substance abuse issue or becomes romantically involved with an inappropriate person. Changes to these agreements might also be required if a parent remarries or wants to move a significant distance away from the other parent.

Child Support

Financial blows or successes also might require adjusting agreements between ex-spouses. Modifying child support could be necessary if the paying spouse loses a job or has a business failure. On the other hand, if the paying spouse’s income increases substantially after the divorce, their contribution toward their children’s upbringing should increase as well.

Violating Agreements Regarding Child-Rearing Conduct

Some of the most contentious issues that might cause post-divorce disputes concern agreements between the parties regarding their behavior. For example, parents might agree to not disparage one another in front of their children. They can agree to not have new romantic partners stay overnight while the children are present. They might decide not to drink alcohol in front of their kids or not bring certain people into their presence.

Such provisions protect children from dangerous or unsavory influences and give them the best chance to maintain healthy relationships with both parents. When one parent accuses the other of violating a conduct provision, the accused parent might get defensive or make counteraccusations.

Conduct provisions are usually part of the conservatorship agreement that governs child custody and decision-making authority. If one parent is violating those provisions, the other parent can work with a motivated attorney to bring a motion seeking enforcement of the agreement.

Call A Houston Attorney To Handle Post-Divorce Disagreements

Almost any encounter between divorced spouses could be emotionally charged. Tension often permeates the relationship even when you both make an effort to keep things civil.

When children are involved, it is critical that parents try to work things out amicably. If that does not seem possible, working with one of our Houston post-divorce lawyers at Angela Faye Brown & Associates is a wise move. Schedule a consultation today by contacting us online or calling our office at 281-975-0307.