When a couple makes the decision to end their marriage, they have a number of issues to sort out. Both people are usually under the assumption that when a final divorce decree is issued, it’s the last time either will have to consider it, but for some former spouses in Kentucky that is not always the case. There may be times when there is a need to back-paddle and ask for a modification to that decree. Thankfully, Kentucky has laws that speak to family law modifications.
For instance, if one person does not agree with the divorce judgment, he or she may wish to appeal the outcome. If one person does agree with the decision and later finds his or her spouse actually hid assets or wishes to alter a custody agreement, he or she might consider a modification to the settlement. Kentucky is an equitable distribution state, so marital property is divided in an equal way, so it may be harder for a divorce case to be reopened, but not impossible.
There are some instances when a modification to a divorce decree may be warranted. Those could include:
- If the person is paying or receiving spousal support and has changes to his or her circumstances or knows of changes to a former spouse’s circumstances;
- If there are children with a custody schedule which needs to be adjusted because of changes in life circumstances;
- If one spouse finds that the other has hidden assets since the other spouse may be entitled to more than he or she received in the divorce decree.
These are just some of the circumstances that might warrant a divorce decree modification. Kentucky residents who think they may need to change their divorce settlement may wish to speak to a lawyer who has experience with family law modifications. Each person’s case is different, but it may be wise to learn more about what may be involved before seeking a modification.