When can I ask to change an existing custody order?
CAnewleaf20261 month ago
We have a 2-year-old order. Things have changed. When can I ask to modify it?
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✓ Verified answer from a licensed attorney — shown first
In CA, custody modifications generally require a 'significant change of circumstances' since the last order. The bar is higher when the existing order is a final / 'judicial' order than when it's temporary. Common qualifying changes: one parent's relocation, a substance-abuse relapse or recovery, a major school change, a child's evolving needs as they age, or a parent's significant new work schedule. The procedure is an RFO (Request for Order, FL-300) with declarations. Practical tip — courts hate being asked to modify orders that aren't even a year old absent a real change. If your last hearing was 14 months ago and not much has changed, expect skepticism.
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