Custody Issues to Consider When Moving Outside of Virginia with Your Child

搬到另一个州或国家有很多情况需要考虑. 举几个例子, 婚姻, 学校, 照顾孩子的问题, connection with extended families, and new job or business opportunities, are all important life decisions to consider.  然而，当搬家的一方是孩子的监护父母时，这个决定就变得更加复杂了.  这一举动可能会严重影响孩子与另一方父母的关系, 主要是由于孩子与另一方父母之间的身体距离及其对育儿时间或探视时间表的影响.

而弗吉尼亚州的法律中并没有具体规定监护权的转移, Virginia courts treat relocation cases as custody/visitation cases.  重要的是要明白，搬迁案件可能呈现不同于典型的初始监护/探视请愿的结构.

Best Interests of the Children

Relocation cases are never about how the move would benefit the moving parent. 而不是, 维吉尼亚州的法院认为，“儿童的福利是首要和最重要的”，这是法院关于重新安置儿童的决定.[1] Custody cases are always about the best interests of the children (“BIC”). Accordingly, the party seeking relocation must show how the relocation would 独立 让孩子受益. Thankfully, Virginia law gives guidance on what the BIC factors are. 维吉尼亚法院被要求根据维吉尼亚法中列出的这十个因素来分析情况. 法典第20-124条.3. The 10 BIC factors include:

1. The 年龄 and physical and mental condition of the child, giving due consideration to the child's changing developmental needs;

2. The 年龄 and physical and mental condition of each parent;

3. The relationship existing between each parent and each child, giving due consideration to the positive involvement with the child's life, the ability to accurately assess and meet the emotional, 知识, and physical needs of the child;

4. The needs of the child, giving due consideration to other important relationships of the child, including but not limited to siblings, 同行, and extended family members;

5. The role that each parent has played and will play in the future, in the upbringing and care of the child;

6. 父母双方积极支持孩子与另一方的接触和关系的倾向, 包括父母一方是否不合理地拒绝另一方探视孩子;

7. 父母双方与孩子保持密切和持续关系的意愿和能力, 父母双方合作解决影响孩子的纠纷的能力;

8. 儿童的合理偏好(如果法院认为该儿童具有合理的智力), 理解, 年龄, and experience to express such a preference);

9. Any history of (i) family abuse; (ii) sexual abuse; (iii) child abuse; or (iv) an act of violence, 力, 或威胁造成身体伤害或使人合理地担心死亡, 性侵犯, 或者身体伤害, that occurred no earlier than 10 years prior to the date a petition is filed; and

10. Such other factors as the court deems necessary and proper to the determination.

As a part of this BIC analysis, 法院还将考虑搬迁将如何实质性地影响或损害另一方父母与孩子的关系. 然而, just because the parents currently have a joint or shared custody arrangement, 弗吉尼亚州法院不会在一开始就假定搬迁会损害另一方父母与孩子的关系.

Material Change in Circumstances

If there is a previous custody/visitation order issued by a Virginia court, 想要带着未成年孩子搬离弗吉尼亚州的监护权父母必须证明，自上次监护权裁决以来，情况发生了重大变化, because such parent is essentially seeking a change in the order. 在弗吉尼亚州. 法典第20-108条, 法院将根据实际情况，逐案确定自上次法院命令以来，情况是否发生了重大变化, 以及寻求搬迁的一方是否满足举证条件的负担.

如果法院认定搬迁不符合子女独立的最大利益, then the court will deny the relocation request. 因此, 法院有管辖权命令将孩子送回弗吉尼亚并将孩子的主要监护权交给另一方. 因此, 搬迁案件有可能极大地改变目前的监护/探视令.

如果在反对搬迁之前，另一位父母已经带着孩子搬出了弗吉尼亚州，那该怎么办?

弗吉尼亚州法院可以在未经批准的搬迁发生后追溯批准搬迁或命令变更拘留. 在听证会上, 法院的问题是确定搬迁是否会独立地对孩子有利.

然而, 未经批准搬迁的监护父母应了解Va的要求. 法典第20-124条.5 that states if there is a custody/visitation order in place, 然后，该命令要求有意搬迁的任何一方提前30天向法院和另一方发出关于搬迁意图和拟更改地址的书面通知. 这是维吉尼亚州法律所要求的，而且这一要求只能由法院在充分理由的基础上予以豁免. 换句话说, 如果要求的通知没有及时送达另一方父母和法院，未经批准带孩子搬迁的一方可能会被认定违反法院命令.

无论您是想要带着孩子搬离弗吉尼亚州的监护父母，还是收到另一方父母意图搬迁或实际搬迁通知的非监护父母, 咨询家庭法律师可以帮助你处理搬迁监护权案件.

罗熙全 是一个皇冠搏彩APP下载 & 皇冠线上买球平台 attorney focusing her practice on family law and immigration matters.      

[1] 教区v. 丁, 26 Va. 应用程序. 566, 572, 496 S.E.2d 91 (1998)