Need help with CS and jurisdiction issues

[Kaew]

I am losing my house and file for bankruptcy.  I'm having a hard time making ends meet and raising my own family.  I live in Wisconsin, with my wife and 1 year old son, with no family near us.  My family is in Texas and my wife's family is in North Carolina.  We want to move, after our bankruptcy is final and forced to leave our home, to NC near her family so that we can have help getting our life back on track and raising our son.  We can't make it here, in Wisconsin, on our own.

I have two kids from a previous marriage and they have been in Florida a few years now.  I was divorced here in Wisconsin and they have jurisdiction.  Moving to NC will also put me a lot closer to my other kids and I'll be able to see them more often.  It'll be a 10 hour drive versus 22-24 hours.


The questions are:

1. Can I get Florida to take over jurisdiction?

2. I will be taking a big cut in pay because of the necessary move.  Can I get CS modified or will this be considered voluntary?


I need help with any info on where to look or what to ask.  Input from experience will be helpful also.  If I need to input more information, I'll do that.

Thank You

[Kaew]

I might have a job offer in NC that may not be too much of a pay cut.

I still need to worry about jurisdiction and how/where to pay my support.

[4honor]

Under the federal laws. That will give you a starting point before you ever get to NC. Then you can file for a modification IN the FL courts -- who would likely take jurisdiction since no one is still in WI.

It would likely be a 2 step process any way you look at it.

I personally would try to modify Custody/parenting plan arrangement when you go for a CS modification, because the decreased distance will increase your access to the kids. 10 hours in the car is a commmuter hop on a plane. Way cheaper to fly the kids than to drive, or it could be a train ride. We found Amtrak gives a discount on tickets for students holding a Student Advantage card (//www.studentadvantage.com - costs $40 for 3 years and gives discounts on many things) It was worth the purchase for us and we can't use it anymore for the train due to extenuating circumstances.