Oklahoma City Divorce Modification Lawyer

Not everyone realizes this, but not all the aspects of your divorce agreement are final. You can go back and modify things like child custody, child support, and alimony agreements if a substantial change in your circumstances warrants it. If you’re unsure whether this applies to you, you should contact an Oklahoma City divorce modification lawyer to discuss your case.

Trust Bundy Law

The team here at Bundy Law is deeply familiar with divorce modification laws and how they apply to different circumstances. We’ve been practicing family law in Oklahoma City for years, and our firm is home to the only International Academy of Family Lawyers-certified attorney in Oklahoma. No matter what revisions you need made to your divorce agreement, our experienced team can help you file your motion and collect the evidence required to support your request.

Why Hire a Divorce Modification Lawyer?

In 2024, Oklahoma had the highest divorce rate in the nation at 20.7 divorces per 1,000 married women. Divorces can be complicated, especially in a state where 3,970,497 children under the age of 18 live with married or single parents. Around 23% of US children live in single-parent households, often as a result of these divorces.

If you need to make a change to a child custody or child support agreement, it doesn’t matter whether you’re the custodial or non-custodial parent. You can hire a divorce modification lawyer to help you file your request. Your Oklahoma City modification lawyer can help you with everything from determining whether you have the grounds to request a modification to providing the judge with the proof required to have the changes approved.

What You Can Change

Only some aspects of your divorce decree can be altered. You can’t do anything to change how property is divided short of appealing your divorce, which is an expensive process that rarely yields beneficial results. You can, however, change things like:

• Child custody
• Child visitation schedules
• Child support
• Spousal support

Some of these aspects of your divorce decree are easier to change than others. Showing that a change in your child’s visitation schedule would help you meet your child’s changing needs is often relatively easy. Showing that you’ve experienced a material change in circumstance sufficient to warrant an alteration to your child support order is usually harder.

Proving Changes in Circumstances

To get a divorce modification approved, you’ll need to show the court that there has been a substantial change in your life circumstances that merits the change. Common examples include:

• Job loss
• Moving to a new state
• Changes in family composition
• Changes in a child’s needs
• Health issues
• Being incarcerated

Your Oklahoma City divorce lawyer can help you understand what qualifies as a major change in circumstance and how you can provide proof of that change.

Filing Your Modification

Filing your modification request is easy with the help of a divorce modification lawyer. Your lawyer simply submits a petition for modification to the court. From there, your ex-spouse must be served, at which point the court will schedule a date for the hearing regarding your divorce modifications.

If your ex-spouse already agrees with you that the modifications are necessary, you can often attach the agreement to your petition. You may not have to attend a court hearing if the judge has proof that both of you are on the same page.

The Benefits of Mediation

Ex-spouses don’t always agree about the necessity for an alteration to their divorce decrees. Mediation can help you and your ex reach an agreement. This collaborative process involves meeting with a neutral third-party facilitator who helps you communicate effectively with your ex-spouse.

Mediation is typically a quicker and less expensive process than the traditional divorce modification process, which requires attending hearings and making your case at the Oklahoma County Courthouse.

FAQs

Can You Amend a Divorce Decree in Oklahoma?

You can amend a divorce decree in Oklahoma, but only under certain circumstances. Your life situation must have substantially changed before you can submit a request to modify your divorce agreement. In addition to limitations placed on when you can file a modification request, you’re also allowed to modify only certain issues, such as child support, custody, and visitation, or alimony payments.

Can I File a Motion to Modify a Divorce Agreement Without a Lawyer?

You can file a motion to modify a divorce agreement without a lawyer, but it’s inadvisable. An Oklahoma City divorce modification attorney can make sure you’re filing all of the paperwork correctly and have the necessary proof of a change in circumstances in place before you file your motion with the court, making it more likely that you’ll win your case.

What Are Some Examples of Substantial Change for Divorce Agreement Modification?

Some examples of substantial change for divorce agreement modification in Oklahoma City include changes in the income of one or both spouses, the loss of a job, getting remarried, relocating to a new city or state, and serious changes in a child’s needs. It’s relevant to note here that property division is final and cannot usually be modified except in cases of fraud. Reach out to an Oklahoma City property division lawyer to review your options and help protect your rights.

Is Oklahoma a 50/50 State in Divorce?

Oklahoma is not a 50/50 state in divorce. The courts divide property according to the principle of equitable division, which isn’t always equal. It’s often the case that assets and debts get divided more or less equally, but the exact division depends on factors like each spouse’s financial standing, contributions to the marriage, and general needs.

Your Oklahoma City Divorce Modification Lawyer

If your circumstances have substantially changed since you signed your divorce agreement, you don’t have to continue making alimony or child support payments you can’t afford. You can hire an Oklahoma City divorce modification lawyer to help. Bundy Law can take on your divorce modification case, no matter what needs to change.

We have a long history of helping clients with all their divorce-related needs. We can help you, too. Contact us to schedule a consultation with a member of our experienced legal team.