5. Go to court

If you and your partner cannot agree on changing your final court order even with the help of an alternative dispute resolution or a family dispute resolution process, or if this is not the right option for you, you can go to court and bring a motion to change. You can bring a:

• motion to change child support
• motion to change spousal support
• motion to change decision-making responsibility, parenting time, or parenting

Family Law Guided Pathways: Form 15

Fill out court forms for requesting a motion to change

Family Law Guided Pathways: Form 15B

Fill out court forms for responding to a motion to change

Decision-making responsibility and parenting time used to be called custody and access.

There are Family Law Rules that tell you what is needed at every step in a court case. Rule 15: Motions to change a final order or agreement tells you what you need to do.

Going to court can be a complicated process and it can take a lot of time. It can be stressful and expensive, but it is sometimes necessary to decide your issues. This family law court process flowchart explains each step in a family law court case.

You can talk to a lawyer who can help you understand what the law says about changing a court order and help you through the process.

If you can't afford to hire a lawyer for your whole case, some lawyers provide “unbundled services” or “limited scope retainer” services. This means you pay them to help you with part of your case.

If you can't afford to hire a lawyer at all, you may be able to find legal help in other places.