Child custody is not a term used in Florida any longer. It is now considered time-sharing. These issues are often contentious situations involving various emotions between the parties involved. The legal process for determining child custody or time sharing issues can be complex and challenging, which usually leaves parents feeling stressed, confused, and frustrated. But having Brian McMahon, our experienced Port St. Lucie attorney working on your case will help ensure that you and your child’s best interests and rights will be protected every step of the way.
Child Custody in Florida
In child custody cases in Florida, the judge must determine the time-sharing, which includes custody and visitation, and parental responsibility over the child.
What is Time-Sharing?
Time-sharing refers to the time parents spend with their children. When the judge determines time-sharing arrangements, they must establish each parent’s child custody and visitation schedule. Courts in Florida prefer to give parents joint time-sharing or roughly equal parenting time schedules.
However, a judge may give one parent significantly more parenting time than the other parent, which is commonly known as majority time-sharing. A parent may lose their time-sharing rights if there is evidence of child abuse, neglect, abandonment, or domestic violence. Judges can likewise order supervised visitation if the safety of the child is an issue.
What is Parental Responsibility?
This refers to each parent’s legal right to make significant life, educational, medical, legal, or religious decisions on behalf of their child. Courts prefer to award parents shared parental responsibility except in cases where it would not serve the best interests of the child.
Who Decides Time Sharing in Florida?
The judge may honor your arrangement if you and your co-parent can work together and come up with a fair time sharing arrangement. Otherwise, the judge will create a time sharing order based on the evidence and arguments provided by each parent. However, take note that judges will always prioritize the child’s best interests when deciding on time sharing matters.
How Our Port St. Lucie Child Custody Attorney Can Help You
Depending on your specific needs and situation, our Port St. Lucie child custody attorney, Brian McMahon, with his more than 30 years of experience, can do the following for you:
- Ensure that you understand your parental rights and how the state’s child custody laws will apply to your case.
- Develop a solid legal strategy to make sure your child’s best interests are protected.
- Gather and present relevant evidence in court to support your case.
- Seek child custody order modifications.
- Handle cases involving child abuse and domestic violence.
- Help grandparents enforce their visitation or custody rights.
Reach Out to Our Port St. Lucie Child Custody Attorney Now
If you are dealing with a child custody case, Brian McMahon, our Port St. Lucie child custody attorney can help. To find out more about your case and what our Port St. Lucie child custody attorney can do for you, call 772-228-6701 or reach us online to schedule your free consultation.