We are seeing more and more cases as people get relocated for work or, with the long-lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, work remotely. People no longer have to work in downtown Louisville; they can live in Southern Indiana and just telecommute. Relocations already consume a high percentage of our cases, and I don’t expect to see a decrease anytime soon.
Many parents don’t realize the logistics of moving to another state when they share a child with someone else, so they don’t plan accordingly. We had a case recently involving a mother who wanted to return to where her family lives in Alaska, which is a substantial move. She and the child’s father hadn’t been married, so there were no child support cases. This issue of properly relocating sometimes comes up even before there’s a case pending. Most people know to follow the rules when they’re in front of the judge or in the middle of a divorce or child custody case; but for those without a case, they still need a lawyer to help them plan for relocation with a child. If the mother had left this area without our help, the father could have filed a restraining order with the local judge to get the child returned. She probably would not be living in Alaska with her child right now. If you have a child with someone, it’s important to consider the planning aspect of a move and seek good advice from a lawyer. Doing so now is much easier than cleaning up a mess later.
