Relocation poses many hardships for a parent who desires to move with their children to locations farther from the home of their former spouse or child’s parent. Relocations under shared placement agreements can present unique legal challenges. Without agreement, these challenges can prolong a move several months or more. The court must determine how best to bridge geographical distance, particularly where school districts change.
Making an anticipated move a topic of full and open disclosure can often minimize parental conflict. This conversation should happen with as much notice to the other parent as possible. The goal should be a compromise that allows the children to have regularly occurring, meaningful periods of physical placement with each parent.
Without agreement, a court will look at a wide range of factors to assess what placement schedule serves the children’s best interests. It should maximize the amount of time the children spend with each parent, considering geographic separation and accommodations for different households.
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