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Custody & Kidnapping

.How far can a parent who has custody move from the other parent?

BEFORE USING THIS FIRST SENTENCE, CHECK WL.ORG TO SEE IF WE HAVE INFORMATION ON THIS - SOME STATES HAVE A SPECIFIC MILEAGE DISTANCE A PERSON CAN MOVE (I.E., FLORIDA)

I do not know if there is a specific distance limitation within [STATE] law regarding how far one parent may move - you may want to ask an attorney about this. You may want to ask an attorney if the distance you can move may possibly depend on what type of custody you have (assuming you currently have a custody/visitation order with the child’s other parent), and what limitations, if any, your custody order may place on where you can live. If there is a current visitation schedule, you may want to ask an attorney what effect this may have on how far you may be able to move while still allowing the other parent to be able to follow that visitation order. For example, if you used to live 10 minutes away from the other parent and now you want to move 2 hours away, this may affect how feasible it may be for the other parent to use a weeknight dinner visitation, for example. If the planned move would affect the visitation order and the other parent disagrees with the move, you may want to ask an attorney if you’d have to go to court to get permission to move and if the visitation order may possibly have to be re-adjusted to allow for the distance – if the judge allows the child to move. Again, I can’t say what a judge may do in this situation but an attorney may know.

Also, even if there is no custody order and you want to move very far or out of state and the father disagrees, you may want to ask an attorney if taking the child where you want to move to might possibly be considered parental kidnapping. I can’t say for certain what [STATE]’s law says about this – you really may want to talk to a lawyer who specializes in custody to get some advice specific to your situation. Here is a link for free and paid lawyers:LINK

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