Of course, your child’s education is one of the most important aspects of their upbringing. And if you believe there is a better opportunity for your child out there, you may fight hard to get them there. However, if you actively co-parent with your child’s other parent, you cannot sign off on these transfer papers just yet. Please continue reading to learn whether you can change your child’s school without getting their other parent’s explicit permission, and how one of the experienced St. Louis child custody lawyers at Stobie Family Law Group can help you avoid any unnecessary legal troubles.
Can I change my child’s school without their other parent’s permission?
In short, your authority to independently decide on which school your child attends largely depends on your court-ordered child custody arrangement. That is, you may have sole physical custody of your child, which means they live with you full time. However, this does not necessarily give you the right to make decisions for them on your own, as you may share joint legal custody with their other parent. Specifically, this means you are expected to collaborate on decisions about your child’s education, healthcare, religion, etc.
So, under these conditions, it is best to talk it through with your child’s other parent, if you are still on amicable terms. You may express your reasoning behind wanting to make this switch, emphasizing that it would serve your child’s best interests. If they still do not agree with you, though, you may have to file a formal modification request with the Missouri family court that handled your original custody case. The judge will make the final decision, and no matter what, you must respect it.
Is changing my child’s school considered relocation under custody laws?
Say your decision to change your child’s school means having to move to a different district. Or, drastically changing your child’s housing situation (i.e., they have to stay with their grandparents during the week, who live in the school district). Missouri custody law may constitute these scenarios as relocating your child. So, switching the school your child attends without their other legal parent’s permission is bad enough, but it is even more serious if you relocate them without complying with strict notice requirements and legal procedures.
If the Missouri family court gets word of this, most likely from your child’s other parent, they may order a forced return of your child to their original jurisdiction. Then, they may take it upon themselves to modify your existing child custody order, making it so that you have limited or revoked physical and legal custody rights. Lastly, you may be subject to contempt charges and financial penalties, like compensating your child’s other parent for their lawyer and legal fees when being driven to take this action.
All of this to say, before you make any major life decisions for yourself or your child, please consult with one of the skilled St. Louis family lawyers from Stobie Family Law Group. Your first consultation with us is complimentary, so there should be no hesitation in picking up the phone to schedule yours today.
