Custody

Generally, whether you can take your child out of the state for a short period of time depends on what your custody order says. The custody order may:

• allow you to take your child out of the state;
• prohibit you from taking your child out of the state;
• require you to get permission from the judge or the other parent before taking your child out of state; or
• not address the issue at all.

If you do want to leave for a short period of time and the other parent does not consent, the judge may require that you leave something of value (“posting a bond”) to ensure that you will return the child to Massachusetts.¹ Note: If your custody order specifically does not allow you to take your child out of the state without permission from the judge or the other parent, and you do so anyway and violate the order, there is a chance that you could be charged with either contempt of court, parental kidnapping, or both.²

If you are in danger and need to leave the state to protect yourself or your child, you may be able to file for temporary emergency custody in the state that you flee to. Getting a temporary order will mean that you have legal custody of your child for the time being, and therefore you are allowed to be outside Massachusetts while that order is in effect. However, a temporary emergency order may be difficult to get, especially if there is an ongoing custody case in Massachusetts. We strongly suggest that you talk to a lawyer in the state you plan to flee to before arriving there if this is something you are thinking about doing. For legal referrals, go to our MA Finding a Lawyer page and select the state you plan to flee to. For more information about what you would have to prove to get temporary custody, please see Can I get temporary emergency custody? on our Parental Kidnapping page.

If you are planning to move out of Massachusetts permanently, you will most likely have to apply in court to change (modify) your custody order. If the other parent has visitation rights, or if you share custody with the other parent, the visitation order would have to be changed to allow both you and the other parent time with the child while living far apart. The judge will decide if the child can leave Massachusetts based on what the judge believes is in the child’s best interests. When making this decision, the judge will likely consider:

• how the move could make your child’s life better, including any improvement in your life that may benefit the child; and
• the possible negative effects that the move could have on your child, including not being able to visit with the other parent on a regular basis.³

¹ M.G.L. 208 § 30
² See M.G.L. 265 § 26A
³ See Pizzino v. Miller, 858 N.E.2d. 1112 (Mass. App. 2006)