Legal Question in Family Law in Minnesota

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If you have already established a parenting time order, a parent cannot relocate of the state with a minor child unless that parent has:

(1) Consent of the other parent, if that parent has been given parenting time by an order or decree; or

(2) An order of the court allowing the relocation.

As a result, it is incumbent upon the parent seeking to relocate out of state to file a Motion and acquire and order allowing that relocation before doing so. A failure to follow this procedure creates a grave risk that dissenting parent may seek an ex parte order changing custody immediately pending a hearing on the issue.

If the matter proceeds to Court, the Judge may not allow the relocation if it is demonstrated that the purpose of the move is to interfere with parenting time given to the other parent by the decree.

The factors the court must consider in determining the child's best interests include, but are not limited to:

(1) the nature, quality, extent of involvement, and duration of the child's relationship with the person proposing to relocate and with the nonrelocating person, siblings, and other significant persons in the child's life;

(2) the age, developmental stage, needs of the child, and the likely impact the relocation will have on the child's physical, educational, and emotional development, taking into consideration special needs of the child;

(3) the feasibility of preserving the relationship between the nonrelocating person and the child through suitable parenting time arrangements, considering the logistics and financial circumstances of the parties;

(4) the child's preference, taking into consideration the age and maturity of the child;

(5) whether there is an established pattern of conduct of the person seeking the relocation either to promote or thwart the relationship of the child and the nonrelocating person;

(6) whether the relocation of the child will enhance the general quality of the life for both the custodial parent seeking the relocation and the child including, but not limited to, financial or emotional benefit or educational opportunity;

(7) the reasons of each person for seeking or opposing the relocation; and

(8) the effect on the safety and welfare of the child, or of the parent requesting to move the child's residence, of domestic abuse, as defined in section 518B.01.

It is critical to note that the new statute places the burden of proof on the parent requesting to move the residence of the child to another state, except that if the court finds that the person requesting permission to move has been a victim of domestic abuse by the other parent, the burden of proof is upon the parent opposing the move. If relocation is allowed, the court often requires the parent that relocated to pay the greater share of costs related to transportation for parenting time.

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