Has Your Custody Plan Stopped Making Sense?
“C heers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right .” — O prah W infrey
A MODIFICATION CAN HELP
For many people, a new year is a time for reflection. “It’s an opportunity to take a snapshot of your life,” Michael Manely says. “You should ask yourself: Is this where I want to be? And is there anything I want to change?” One of the things that might need changing is your family law agreement. A court order is like an engine — it works perfectly well until it doesn’t. Eventually, both start to break down, and components from 2–3 years ago lose some of their function. But modifying an agreement is not as simple as starting a new exercise routine. To receive a modification, you need to have experienced a substantial change in circumstances. With regard to child support, there needs to be a significant change in income. For modification of visitation or custody, the standards are a bit looser and open to interpretation. There’s no upper limit on the frequency or number of changes, but a judge is unlikely to react favorably to repeated small or nuisance modification requests. As children grow, their needs and activities evolve, which means that an existing plan can stop making sense. One or both parents can also experience a change in their job responsibilities, which might require extra hours, different hours, or a relocation. Any move can be grounds for a modification. Things obviously can’t stay the same if one parent moves several states away. But even a 30-minute move can significantly impact getting a child to and from school or day care. Finally, when a new stepparent or stepchildren enter the picture, the entire family’s needs can change. Of course, when there’s a court order, you can’t just make these changes yourself. Even if your ex is agreeable to the modifications, you should still have them documented to protect everyone in case of a later conflict or change of heart. It’s the best way to protect yourself and your child. “January is a good time to take stock and be intentional about crafting the way you want it,” Michael says. If your custody agreement is no longer working for your family, The Manely Firm can help. Give us a call today for help with a court order that works with the life you have now.
C hicken and L eek F ilo P ie
Inspired by GoodHousekeeping.com
I ngredients
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3 oz unsalted butter, divided 2 large leeks, finely sliced 2 large carrots, finely chopped
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3 tbsp heavy cream
12 oz cooked chicken, cut into chunks 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley 12 sheets frozen filo pastry, thawed
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1 tbsp flour
14 oz chicken stock, warmed
2 tsp Dijon mustard
D irections 1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 2.
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Stir in mustard and heavy cream, then add cooked chicken and parsley. Transfer to a large ovenproof dish. In a pan, melt remaining butter. Put a single filo sheet on a board and brush with melted butter. Scrunch up pastry sheet and place on top of chicken mixture. Continue until pie is covered. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the filo is golden and chicken mixture is bubbling.
In a pan over low heat, melt 1 oz butter. Add leeks and carrots and cook for 15 minutes, until softened but not colored. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add chicken stock, stirring until sauce is smooth, then let simmer for 10 minutes.
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