In every divorce, one of the trickiest topics is child custody. The court’s first concern is always the child’s best interests, and a judge’s decision about how to allocate parental responsibility and time-sharing—formerly known as custody and visitation—is influenced by a variety of considerations. It may really make a big difference to choose a competent Pensacola, Florida child custody lawyer.
Courts often support both parents continuing to be involved in their children’s lives. Parental responsibility is the legal authority to make important choices about a child’s health, education, religion, and extracurricular activities. The amount of time each parent spends with their children is referred to as time-sharing. In Florida, the phrase “parental responsibility and time-sharing” has taken the place of the previous language pertaining to custody and visitation.
Judges take into account the best interests of your kid as well as your present living arrangement, the health of both parents, and any other pertinent facts in your case. Even in situations where there is no proof of abuse or neglect, the court may restrict the amount of time that one parent spends with their children if they have a mental health issue or are habitually using drugs and alcohol. This also holds true if the youngster witnesses physical or domestic abuse.
Fathers often believe that Florida courts and laws are skewed against them and that moms are given preferential treatment when it comes to raising children, especially during the “tender years.” This is just untrue, even if a court may decide to impose supervised visits, daytime visits, or no contact at all in some situations when there are suspicions of abuse or neglect.
In most cases, the court will provide joint parental responsibility to both parents. In these situations, the parents will take turns helping to raise their kid on a daily basis. Daily choices, such when the kid goes to school, what medical care is required, and what religion the child will follow, are made by the parent with more time.
When required, a competent Florida family law attorney can defend your rights and assist you in creating a solid parenting plan. A lawyer may help enforce the custody and visitation arrangement if your spouse refuses to comply.
Even though sole custody is uncommon, the courts will grant it if you can persuade the judge that your kid would suffer more from joint parental duties and time-sharing.
An current custody arrangement may need to be modified, depending on your circumstances. It’s crucial to talk to a Pensacola, Florida, child custody attorney about modifying your agreement if you’ve changed jobs, relationships, or your living situation in any other manner. Waiting to cease paying child support without a valid cause might lead to the courts rejecting your request for a modification. The same applies to changing kid visitation arrangements, but you have to provide evidence of a significant change in your situation.
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