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Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

23 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5338 (2026)

 Modification of existing order.

✓ current as of May 2026
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§ 5338.  Modification of existing order.

(a)  Best interest of the child.--Upon petition, a court may modify a custody order to serve the best interest of the child.

(b)  Applicability.--Except as provided in 51 Pa.C.S. Ch. 46 (relating to uniform deployed parents custody and visitation), this section shall apply to any custody order entered by a court of this Commonwealth or any other state subject to the jurisdictional requirements set forth in Chapter 54 (relating to uniform child custody jurisdiction and enforcement).

(Apr. 12, 2012, P.L.241, No.32, eff. 60 days; Oct. 27, 2025, P.L.131, No.40, eff. 30 days)

 

2025 Amendment.  Act 40 amended subsec. (b).

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 64 cases (24 in the last 5 years), 2013–2026 · leading case: K.D. v. E.D., 2022 Pa. Super. 224 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2021).
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K.D. v. E.D., 2022 Pa. Super. 224 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2021). · cites it 4× “23 Pa.C.S. § 5338, Jt. St. Govt. Comm. cmt.”
E.B. v. D.B., 209 A.3d 451 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2019). “23 Pa.C.S. § 5338. Subsection 5328(a) of the Child Custody Act sets forth 16 factors that a court must consider before making any custody determination, including a modification of a custody order.”
D.K.D. v. A.L.C., 141 A.3d 566 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016). “Again, the court delineated its consideration of the § 5337(h) relocation factors and the relevant best-interest factors outlined in 23 Pa.C.S. § 5338(a), As it relates to Mother’s amended relocation petition, the trial court determined that factor two, which it had previously…”
C.A.J. v. D.S.M., 136 A.3d 504 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016). “” 23 Pa.C.S. § 5338(a). See also Pa.R.C.P.1915.”
Mikhail v. Kahn, 991 F. Supp. 2d 596 (E.D. Pa. 2014). “; 23 23 Pa. Cons.Stat. Ann. § 5338(a) (“Upon petition, a court may modify a custody order to serve -the best interest of the child.”
S.S. v. T.J., 212 A.3d 1026 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2019). “23 Pa.C.S. § 5338. Section 5328(a) sets forth the sixteen best-interest factors that the trial court must consider.”
In re S.H., 71 A.3d 973 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2013). “” 23 Pa.Cons.Stat.Ann. § 5324. Moreover, “any custody order entered by a court of this Commonwealth” may be modified if it serves the “best interests of the child.”
R.S. v. T.T., 113 A.3d 1254 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2015). “23 Pa.C.S. § 5338. “The best[-]interests standard, decided on a case-by-case basis, considers all factors that legitimately have an effect upon the child’s physical, intellectual, moral, and spiritual well-being.”
A.D.W. v. F.w., Jr. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2017). · cites it 2× “It is well settled that: court may modify a Section 5338 of the Act provides that, upon petition, a trial 23 Pa.C.S. §5338. The custody order if it serves the best interests of the child.”
Fritz, T. v. Bruce-Fritz, K. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2023). · cites it 2× “See 23 Pa.C.S. § 5338(a) (permitting modification of a custody order upon petition “to serve the best interest of the child”).”
Cain, B. v. Cain, B. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2024). · cites it 2× “2023) (citing 23 Pa.C.S. § 5338(a)). Indeed, when reviewing child custody matters, our “paramount concern and the polestar of our analysis” is the best interests of the child.”
C.R.H. v. J.S.H. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2021). · cites it 2× “Pursuant to 23 Pa.C.S. § 5338, “[u]pon petition, a court may modify a custody order to serve the best interest of the child.”
Show all 64 citing cases →
— 23 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5338(a) — 35 cases
K.D. v. E.D., 2022 Pa. Super. 224 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2021). “23 Pa.C.S. § 5338, Jt. St. Govt. Comm. cmt.”
D.K.D. v. A.L.C., 141 A.3d 566 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016). “Again, the court delineated its consideration of the § 5337(h) relocation factors and the relevant best-interest factors outlined in 23 Pa.C.S. § 5338(a), As it relates to Mother’s amended relocation petition, the trial court determined that factor two, which it had previously…”
C.A.J. v. D.S.M., 136 A.3d 504 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016). “” 23 Pa.C.S. § 5338(a). See also Pa.R.C.P.1915.”
Mikhail v. Kahn, 991 F. Supp. 2d 596 (E.D. Pa. 2014). “; 23 23 Pa. Cons.Stat. Ann. § 5338(a) (“Upon petition, a court may modify a custody order to serve -the best interest of the child.”
Fritz, T. v. Bruce-Fritz, K. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2023). “See 23 Pa.C.S. § 5338(a) (permitting modification of a custody order upon petition “to serve the best interest of the child”).”
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