Divorce & Family

Custody Motion

Establish or modify custody and parenting time, with the jurisdiction declaration and the state's factors.

What you get

  • An editable Word document, drafted from your answers and the state's official text.
  • A proof of sources: every citation in the draft with the words it quotes, the official source, the date the text was saved and its fingerprint.
  • Notes for counsel listing each point marked [VERIFY], each blank and each choice left for the client.
  • It is filed with a court, so the notes include filing reminders for the court's own rules.

What the intake asks

Plain questions, in the order an attorney would take the facts. Anything left blank stays a marked blank in the draft; nothing is invented to fill it.

The case

  • Moving parent (your client)
  • The other parent
  • What is being asked
  • Court and case

The children

  • Children
  • Other proceedings and claimants

Facts

  • The existing order
  • Facts supporting the request
  • What has changed since the order
  • Relocation
  • Safety concerns
  • Safety facts

Relief

  • Relief requested
  • Proposed parenting plan

Signature

  • Signing attorney
  • Other instructions or open decisions

Where it is offered

Every state Lawsmith has official sources for:

Official sources on file

The drafter works from the texts Lawsmith has saved for this document in the state you choose, plus federal law where it applies. Each is read from the official publisher and dated.

StateSources for this document
California54
Connecticut29
Delaware22
District of Columbia15
Florida22
Maryland30
Massachusetts20
New Jersey20
New York26
Ohio20
Pennsylvania41
Texas43
Virginia21

Among them, for New Jersey:

  • N.J.S.A. 2A:34-23 Alimony, maintenance.
  • N.J.S.A. 9:2-4 Custody of child; rights of both parents considered.
  • N.J.S.A. 2A:34-54 Definitions.
  • N.J.S.A. 2A:34-66 Exclusive, continuing jurisdiction.
  • N.J.S.A. 2A:34-67 Jurisdiction to modify determination.

How the draft is checked

Before it writes, the drafter must quote the official text behind each citation. Lawsmith compares every quotation with the text on file, character for character; a citation with no checked quotation reaches you marked [VERIFY]. The draft still needs your review before it is signed, filed or sent. How citations are checked

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