Modifications & Changes to Existing Orders

Mediation is an efficient way to negotiate new arrangements and quickly make financial adjustments utilizing the same professional software that the Colorado courts and attorney use. Mediate modifications for parenting plans and support provisions when they become outdated. When circumstances shift, modification to parenting time and child support follows: employment, travel, increased / decreased wages, relocation, children's extracurricular activities, one child reaches age 19, etc.

​

By Stipulation - When both parents agree on the modification, a stipulation may be filed in court with the terms of your agreements and required supporting documentation. When parents come to agreement in Mediation, the terms of their agreement are drafted by the Mediator into a Memorandum of Understanding. The MOU is edited for final approval by the parties and submitted to the court for its decision. Even if the parties agree, the court must also agree to make a change.

​

By Motion - When only one parent requests a modification to child support or the parenting plan, courts routinely order mediation to determine if the parents can come to an agreement prior to scheduling a hearing. When an agreement is reached in Mediation, the terms of their agreement are drafted by the Mediator into a Memorandum of Understanding. The MOU is edited for final approval by the parties and submitted to the court for its decision. If the parents do not agree, the court hears testimony and reviews the submitted required supporting documentation and decides the matter by issuing a court order.
 

Family life is inter-related and complex. Odd-ball situations exist that don't fit neatly into the legal box. A good example is child support credit for overnights. A parent who cares for the children during the day, does homework with them, transports them to activities, but then drops them off at the other parent's house to sleep would not be given credit for this involvement in terms of child support because the children sleep at the other parent's home. A professional mediator such as Judy West can negotiate these types of situations for fairness.

​

A mediated agreement can take into consideration the total picture. The terms of agreement are written into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which is a collaborative effort between the mediator and the parents, who edit and request draft renditions between sessions. The MOU comprehensively details new agreements between the parents. It is signed by the parents, then submitted to the judge or magistrate to enter the MOU as a court order.
 

There are times when parents reach a partial agreement in mediation, leaving unresolved issues to be determined by the Judge or Magistrate.  However, this scenario exists in a minority of cases.  The great majority of clients who work with Judy West are able to come to a complete agreement.