Research Example: Relocation Disputes in Child Custody Cases

Here’s a mock research assignment showing how Midpage can help a family law attorney quickly uncover the governing rules on parental relocation in custody disputes.

The scenario

Your client, a mother with primary custody of her 8-year-old son in California, has been offered a new job in Nevada. She wants to relocate for the opportunity, but the child’s father strongly objects, arguing the move would severely disrupt his visitation rights.

You need California authority clarifying the standard courts apply when one parent seeks to relocate with a child over the other parent’s objection.

Step 1: Start with a proposition search

Instead of entering general keywords, you type in the exact proposition you want to find cases supporting.

This type of query targets judicial statements of law, not just cases where the word “relocation” happens to appear.

The first few results show a range of custody disputes involving relocation, but not all directly address moves based on a better paying job. Thanks to Midpage’s AI summaries, it’s easy to skim these opinions and determine that quickly, without wasting time digging through irrelevant or unhelpful cases.

Step 2: Narrow with a yes/no question

To focus on cases where a custodial parent was allowed to relocate, we can add a yes/no question and then filter. Here we’ll add the following column:

“Did the court allow the custodial parent to relocate with the child?”

Filtering to cases where the answer is Yes narrows our results to just those where the court sided with the custodial parent’s relocation, surfacing precedent that aligns with our argument.

Step 3: Zero in on a key case

One case stands out: In re Marriage of Selzer, this case closely matches our client’s situation because the trial court approved the custodial mother’s relocation to a new city after she obtained better employment, recognizing her need for sufficient income to support herself and her child.

The court emphasized that the move was not intended to frustrate the noncustodial parent’s visitation rights and that economic necessity justified the relocation. Importantly, the court reaffirmed that the paramount concern is the best interests of the child, not simply the preferences or burdens of either parent.

Step 4: Build the argument quickly

Within 15 minutes of research, we’ve:

• Identified controlling California precedent confirming that relocation requests are evaluated under the best interest standard

• Pulled appellate language reaffirming that economic necessity can justify relocation and that visitation adjustments can minimize impact on the noncustodial parent

• Found authority showing how California trial courts balance competing parental rights with the child’s stability and continuity

• Located fact patterns most similar to our client’s reason for moving (job opportunity)

From here, you could save cases into a Notebook and use Chat with Notebook to compare holdings, surface key quotes, and draft argument sections. (If you missed our earlier post introducing Chat with Notebook, you can read it here.)

The takeaway

Midpage helps family law attorneys cut through vague search results and zero in on the law that matters. By starting with a proposition, filtering with a yes/no question, you can quickly narrow the field to cases directly relevant to your client’s position. Then, by pinpointing key cases and reviewing AI-generated summaries, you can understand the court’s reasoning and build your argument with confidence.

Whether you’re preparing a motion to relocate, opposing a move-away request, or advising a client on their custody rights, Midpage helps you move from uncertainty to authority in minutes.

Start using Midpage today and see how easy it is to find the cases that matter!