Boca Raton Child Custody Lawyer
Help with Parenting Plans and Time-Sharing Schedules in Florida Divorces
When parents split up, the issue of the custody of the children can be the most hard-fought, emotional and important issue to resolve. This can be true in the case of a Florida divorce or legal separation. Even if the parties were never married, the father may seek to establish paternity for the sole purpose of exercising his legal rights to share in the raising of his children.
The Boca Raton child custody lawyers at Wise Lieberman, PLLC help with child custody in Palm Beach and Broward counties by negotiating, drafting or reviewing parenting plans and time-sharing schedules, or litigating child custody issues in court that can’t be resolved through family mediation or other means. Learn more about parenting and time-sharing below, and contact Wise Lieberman, PLLC for help resolving the child custody issues in your Florida divorce.
How is Child Custody Decided in Florida?
Child custody in Florida is known by the terms “parenting” and “time-sharing.” Together, these two terms dictate where and when the child will live with which parent, and how important decisions regarding the child’s upbringing will be decided. Comprehensive parenting plans cover issues including the child’s schooling, religious upbringing, health care, extracurricular activities and emotional needs. Additionally, the best time-sharing schedules are very detailed and precise, covering drop-offs and exchanges, holidays, vacations, and how to handle last-minute switches and scheduling conflicts. Including a method for resolving problems that arise or making decisions when parents disagree can go a long way to preventing parenting disputes down the road which land the couple back in court for a judicially-imposed resolution.
Parents are encouraged to make a plan together, utilizing the services of a mediator or parent coordinator if necessary. If they still can’t agree, child custody issues will have to be litigated in court. After listening to the arguments of each party and the evidence they have presented, the judge will fashion a parenting plan and time-sharing schedule that the judge feels are in the best interests of the child or children.
Whether creating a plan in court or approving a plan drafted by the parents, the judge will consider a number of factors to determine whether a particular plan is in the best interests of the children. These factors include:
- The emotional connection each parent has with the children
- How able each parent is to provide for the child in terms of food, clothing, health care and other physical needs
- The advantages of keeping the child in the same environment for stability and continuity versus a new home environment
- Each parent’s moral fitness as a parent
- The physical and mental health of each parent
- The child’s record at school, home and in the community
- If reasonable, the child’s preference on where to live or whom to live with
- Any evidence of domestic violence or child abuse by either parent, including evidence that a parent gave a false report of domestic violence
At Wise Lieberman, PLLC, our lawyers work hard to prepare and present a persuasive case for parenting and time-sharing that meets the needs of our clients and their children. Count on our skilled and efficient family law attorneys to ably represent your interests in any Florida divorce or child custody dispute.
Call Wise Lieberman, PLLC to Speak with Dedicated Boca Raton Child Custody Lawyers
For help with child custody and other aspects of your Florida divorce, including alimony and the property settlement, contact Wise Lieberman, PLLC at 561-488-7788 to discuss your case with skilled and knowledgeable Boca Raton child custody lawyers.