Legal Question in Family Law in Iowa

My son's father and I were never married. We have never gone to court to get legal custody settled. I do have physical custody of Christian. He pays child support and is the non-custodial parent listed. He moved from Missouri to Iowa and got married. I moved to Iowa to go back to school, and keep them closer for visitation. Now, he's getting a divorce, and is moving back to Missouri. I am in school, and not willing to move back right now. Does this open up my options if I want to move out of state elsewhere for school? What legalities would be involved in this? Is there anything keeping me from moving anywhere?


Asked on 11/07/09, 12:05 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Robert Luedeman solo practitioner

Assuming that there is a custody and support order in place you are bound by it. There is a geographical limitation that requires notice and hearing-if a person wishes to move farther than 150 miles away. It's covered in Iowa Code chapter 598.21D:

598.21D RELOCATION OF PARENT AS GROUNDS TO MODIFY

ORDER OF CHILD CUSTODY.

If a parent awarded joint legal custody and physical care or sole

legal custody is relocating the residence of the minor child to a

location which is one hundred fifty miles or more from the residence

of the minor child at the time that custody was awarded, the court

may consider the relocation a substantial change in circumstances.

If the court determines that the relocation is a substantial change

in circumstances, the court shall modify the custody order to, at a

minimum, preserve, as nearly as possible, the existing relationship

between the minor child and the nonrelocating parent. If modified,

the order may include a provision for extended visitation during

summer vacations and school breaks and scheduled telephone contact

between the nonrelocating parent and the minor child. The

modification may include a provision assigning the responsibility for

transportation of the minor child for visitation purposes to either

or both parents. If the court makes a finding of past interference

by the parent awarded joint legal custody and physical care or sole

legal custody with the minor child's access to the other parent, the

court may order the posting of a cash bond to assure future

compliance with the visitation provisions of the decree. The supreme

court shall prescribe guidelines for the forfeiting of the bond and

restoration of the bond following forfeiting of the bond.

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Answered on 11/12/09, 1:35 pm


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