Just when the parties think all has been resolved and finalized, things can evolve which prompt one to change the custody arrangement as well as child support. A Custody modification may be an emergency because the children are in irreparable harm or a guardianship by relatives because the parents have become unfit. Financial circumstances also evolve. A parent may lost their job or the reverse, make more money, which triggers the need for modification.
Arguably, modifications of custody can be more contentious for the parties since the outcome is to take away what the party had. There are a myriad of facts that can come into play with modifications. Appointment of guardian ad litems to analyze the best interest of the children, psychological evaluations of the parties, protective orders to be fought, the possibility of a deprived case being filed by DHS and the risk of termination of parental rights, the possibility of a relative seeking a guardianship over the children.