One of the most difficult matters divorcing or separating parents in Florida will face is deciding who their child will live with and which parent will have the duty to care for and the right to make decisions on behalf of the child. When it comes to time sharing and child custody Florida courts uphold that joint custody is typically in the best interest of the child, unless extenuating circumstances render one parent unable to make decisions for the minor child. However, in cases where the parents are not on good terms with one another, agreeing on a Florida time sharing schedule can become a point of contention. If you are in a situation where your ex is fighting to minimize your time with your child, contact an experienced time sharing Florida attorney to discuss your legal rights. With Attorney Paul H. Bowen on your side, you can significantly improve your chances of getting sole parental responsibility or majority time sharing in your case.
Time Sharing Florida
Most of us are familiar with the matter of “child custody” in divorce cases, a term used to describe the legal relationship between a parent and a child in that parent’s care, but in the state of Florida, this same parent-child relationship is now known as “time sharing.” In 2008, the state of Florida made significant changes to its child custody laws, eliminating the words “custody” and “visitation” altogether, in favor of more positive words like “parental responsibility” and “time sharing.” As such, a child custody arrangement is now known as a time sharing schedule in Florida, and this refers to where the child will live.
Depending on the circumstances of their case, divorced or separated parents in Florida are either granted shared parental responsibility, in which they share parenting duties and make decisions together regarding the child’s education, upbringing and religious choices, or sole parental responsibility, in which one parent makes these decisions. The court will make its parental responsibility determination on the basis of the best interest of the child, with the following factors taken into consideration:
- Physical and mental health of each parent
- Age and sex of the child
- Support and opportunity for interaction with extended family members
- Religious and cultural considerations
- Any pattern of domestic violence
- Capacity of each parent to cooperate and honor time-sharing schedules
- Moral fitness of each parent
- Anticipated division of parental duties
- Reasonable preferences of the child
- Capacity of each parent to provide a consistent routine for the child
- Capacity of each parent to maintain an environment free from substance abuse
- Any evidence of parental drug, alcohol or child/sex abuse
- Ability of the child to adjust to changes in school or community
- Relationship of the child with siblings and other members of the household
Contact a Florida Time Sharing Attorney for Help
Filing for divorce can be ugly and complicated, and even in uncontested divorce cases, child custody and time sharing disagreements often lead to heated debates that can result in your child’s future being decided by the court. If you are involved in a divorce dispute involving child custody or time sharing, contact a reputable time sharing child custody Florida attorney to find out how to improve your chances of receiving a positive outcome in your case. Attorney Paul H. Bowen has extensive experience handling divorce cases in Florida and helping parents avoid losing custody of their children. With Attorney Paul H. Bowen representing your case, you can feel confident that the court’s decision regarding your time sharing agreement will truly be in the best interest of your child.