When you are co-parenting, many situations can arise. One of these situations is when one parent wants to relocate to a different island, state or country. Relocation is higher in Hawaii than in most other states.
Relocation while co-parenting is a big decision, often involving the Hawaiian court system. Before filing anything with the courts, you should talk to an experienced family law attorney.
Consider why you want to relocate
You might want or need to relocate to a mainland or even another island for many reasons. Some of these reasons are:
- Economic opportunities
- Having family closer
- Hawaii’s higher prices
- Hawaii’s slower economic growth
There are many other factors in the decision to relocate, but these are the most common.
Petition the courts
If a parenting plan is in place, then to relocate, you may need a custody modification. This modification often comes with the court having to approve the change. For this, they appoint a fact-finder or custody evaluation expert. Speaking to a family law attorney is a good idea in this case because they can help you understand what the fact-finder is doing.
This expert evaluates whether the move is in the child’s best interest. Some of the factors they consider are:
- Safety of the child
- Academic and cultural opportunities
- Childcare and family
- Quality of life
- Travel and communication with the co-parent
- Community support systems
The fact-finder also examines many other areas, including the child’s wishes assuming the child is of age.
Speaking to a family law attorney can help you through this process and help you create a plan that allows you to move out of state while protecting your child’s best interests.