Helping Parents Pursue Their Goals
Parental relocation is one of the most complex issues affecting child custody in Nevada. Once the family court has issued a child custody order, neither parent is allowed to move with the child without formal permission from the other parent or from the court.
I'm attorney Donn Prokopius. Since 1997, I have been helping parents pursue their goals and protect their rights in parental relocation cases. Based in Las Vegas, I serve clients throughout Southern Nevada, emphasizing personalized attention and aggressive representation.
Understanding the Criteria for Parental Relocation
There are many reasons why you may want to move away with your child to another state or to a distant part of Nevada, while the child's other parent remains in the Las Vegas area. Some of the most common motivations for parental relocation include:
- A new job or career opportunity
- A new marriage or significant other
- A desire to be closer to extended family
From the family court's point of view, what matters in a parental relocation case is not what is in the best interests of the parent but rather what is in the best interests of the child.
If you have primary custody of your child, you will need to show that there's a good-faith reason for the move. If you have joint custody, you will need to show that the child would actually be better off moving with you than staying put with the other parent.
Contact a Lawyer to Discuss Your Options
If either parent is planning to move, with or without the child, it is important to go to court and get any necessary modifications made to the current child custody order. Even if you and your child's other parent agree right now about what is best, that could change in the future.
A parent who takes a child out of state without a formal modification to the custody order could end up facing accusations of child abduction. If you are contemplating relocation, I encourage you to contact my office and schedule a consultation to discuss your options.
