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A proposed or recent move can change school mornings, childcare and the time a child spends with each parent. Build a timeline showing the notice, any actual residence change and its effect on the parenting schedule. Include the current parenting plan so your attorney can compare the events with the requirements that apply.
Save the notice in its original form and record when and how you received it. Include later messages about the proposed date or destination, and ask counsel to assess the notice against the current order and applicable requirements.
Record the addresses reportedly used and the dates supporting each one. Distinguish a proposed address from an observed residence change, and identify the source of any information about where the parent and child stay.
Note the move’s effect on school arrival, childcare arrangements, commute time and exchanges. For a missed or changed visit, record the planned time, what happened and the related communication.
Save complete relevant texts, emails and parenting-app exchanges about the move. Put changed plans or conflicting explanations in date order so a reviewer can follow how the arrangements developed.
| Checklist Item | What to Save or Note |
|---|---|
| Move notice | Date notice was given, what was said, and whether it was verbal, written, or through a co-parenting app. |
| Residence pattern | Addresses used, overnight pattern, vehicle presence, exchange locations, and other lawful location facts. |
| Parenting-time impact | Missed exchanges, changed pickup times, longer travel, school disruption, or schedule conflicts tied to the move. |
| Supporting communications | Texts, emails, notices, and other messages showing the plan, objections, or changed explanations. |
| Order language | The exact parenting-plan or order language that governs notice, relocation, school, and exchange requirements. |
Place the relevant order language beside the dated event it concerns. For example, connect an exchange change to the scheduled location and time, while leaving the legal interpretation to counsel.
An address in one record may not establish current residence. Repeated lawful observations and records from relevant dates may help show how a location is used. Note the limits of each source.
Describe what changed in daily life: a longer school trip, a different daycare pickup, a missed exchange or a recurring schedule conflict. Save records that support the dates and effects you describe.
Write what happened, when and how it affected parenting time. Identify what you observed yourself and what someone else reported. Your attorney can assess the significance of those facts.
Record what has been announced and what has actually occurred. Label a proposed move as proposed, and update the timeline when you obtain information about residence use or changes to the child’s routine.
Do not place trackers, access devices, or log into accounts without authority. Relocation disputes still have to be documented lawfully.
Group screenshots by date and retain the full relevant exchange. Add a brief reference to the move notice, parenting event or order provision involved so the image has a clear place in the timeline.
Save the actual notice, current order and original communications, and ask counsel promptly which notice and objection requirements apply to your case. This checklist helps you gather records; it does not establish your deadline. The companion guide explains how those records can support review of the relocation facts.
Save the notice itself, including when and how it arrived. Then gather the relevant messages and current parenting-plan provisions on relocation, school and exchanges so counsel can review the requirements promptly.
Yes. Record the dates, overnights and source of your information about the new location, along with changes to school, childcare and exchanges. Those facts help distinguish an announced plan from an actual change in routine.
We can investigate a defined residence question through lawful observation, public-record research and a dated account of the findings. Share the addresses, relevant dates and current orders so the proposed work addresses the dispute.
Yes. Early review helps counsel identify which dates and facts matter to the move issue and which requirements need prompt attention. It also helps direct any further records or observation work.
Bring the move notice, parenting plan and a short account of the changes you have observed. We can discuss residence verification or documentation of specific routine and exchange facts for your attorney to review.
