Parental Responsibility And Time-Sharing
Florida laws covering the traditionally designated areas of child custody and visitation use the following terms:
- Parental responsibility (or responsibilities)
- Parenting plans
- Time-sharing schedules
- Tasks associated with parenting
These descriptors emphasize an ideally collaborative, child-focused approach to the upbringing of kids whose parents are not married to each other. As of 2019, Florida’s statutes about these issues include this general statement of principle regarding parenting in light of divorce or separation:
It is the public policy of this state that each minor child has frequent and continuing contact with both parents… to encourage parents to share the rights and responsibilities, and joys, of childrearing. There is no presumption for or against the father or mother of the child or for or against any specific time-sharing schedule when creating or modifying the parenting plan…
Attorneys Set To Guide You
At Wood Law Firm in Destin, we recognize that our clients with children are doing the heavy lifting. All parents have our full respect! We consider ourselves supporters as we assist clients throughout the Panhandle region who need help designing, negotiating, formalizing or modifying child custody and visitation arrangements. Our clients include parents and other guardians in diverse personal and family circumstances, including:
- Married parents in the process of divorce
- Divorced parents seeking modifications
- Cohabiting unmarried parents
- Unmarried parents who do not live together
- Civilians and military personnel
- Parents straddling state lines, with one parent living in Florida and the other in another state
- Grandparents seeking legal custody, guardianship, fostering or adoption of grandchildren
- Parents in same-sex marriages and other domestic relationships
While laws and legal precedents provide road maps for many parents in such situations, there are often unique factors to consider. A child’s disabilities, a parent’s irregular work schedule (as a pilot, a surgeon or a member of a branch of the U.S. military, for example) or a child’s individualized educational needs may figure into arguments to present to a family court judge. Our child custody lawyers have helped parents resolve these and other special challenges while obtaining or modifying court orders for parental responsibility.
We Are Here; We Care; We Are Ready
As dedicated family law attorneys invested in people through our law practice as well as community involvement, we are truly interested in learning about your needs and concerns. Helping parents go from a state of worry to a state of encouragement and purpose is always rewarding for us. Let us hear your story and explain how we can help. Call Wood Law Firm at 850-502-8978 or send us a note through our easy intake form for a prompt response.
