In Florida, parents who share custody need to establish a time-sharing arrangement. They determine an overall breakdown of parenting time and also a schedule for special days, such as holidays and birthdays.
Both parents have a responsibility to follow the time-sharing arrangements approved by the courts to the best of their ability. If they cannot make the current terms work for the family, then they may need to take the matter back to family court.
Time-sharing modifications can help parents update their custody orders to better suit the needs of their families. What are some of the most common scenarios where modifications of time-sharing arrangements are necessary?
1. Parental relocations
If one parent moves to a different city or out of the state, that change in residence can have a major impact on how parents share time with their children. They may need to discuss making significant adjustments to the family’s time-sharing schedule with their co-parent.
If they cannot reach an agreement, then they may need to litigate the matter and have a judge decide what is best for the children and how to modify time-sharing arrangements.
2. Major scheduling changes
Perhaps one parent has just accepted a first-shift position after years of working second shift. They may be able to spend more time with their children during the week.
Maybe the oldest child in the family is now in high school. They may work a part-time job and have extracurricular activities that affect their availability. When families have major changes in their schedules, it may be necessary to reevaluate the time-sharing arrangements to make the schedule work more effectively for the family.
3. Consistent non-compliance
Maybe one parent cancels their time with the children routinely. Perhaps they don’t let the other parent spend time with the children. In scenarios where one parent has proven incapable of adhering to the time-sharing arrangement, going back to court to adjust the allocation of parenting time could be in everyone’s best interests.
Parents have the option of cooperating for uncontested modifications or litigating when they do not agree. Reviewing the current time-sharing plan can help parents decide if seeking a child custody modification is the best option.
