Sometimes when people hear the words child custody, they may automatically believe that this means that the mothers or one parent automatically gets custody of a child, while the fathers or the other parent ends up just being visitors. While this may have been true in limited cases many years ago, the truth is that this is not accurate or correct. Florida laws have changed over the years and Florida judges realize that such rulings are generally not in the best interest of the child or children. At the end of the day, Florida judges are legally bound to do what is best for children when it comes to a child custody battle.
Research over the years has shown that both parents play an extremely important role in the lives of children. For that reason, it is now more common for parents to share custody of their children. In fact, the state of Florida changed its laws in 2008, removing the terms “primary custody” and “sole custody” in exchange for the term “parenting plan.”
Under this revised Florida law, parents in Florida are expected to work together to come up with a parenting plan that is best for their children. Of course, this is not always an easy thing to do, even when both parents truly want the best for their children.
That is when parents can turn to an experienced Orlando family attorney for help and guidance.
An experienced Orlando child custody attorney can represent the interests and rights of the parents as you work toward an agreement through negotiations or mediation, or in court if the parents cannot reach an agreement that is in their best interest. their children.
When a case goes to court, the judge presiding over the case considers 20 legal factors to determine an appropriate parenting plan. An experienced Orlando family law attorney can help gather evidence and testimony to support her client’s case in light of these factors.
Child custody is one of the most emotional and controversial issues in Florida family law because the stakes are so high. Additionally, both parents now have to prove in court why they should be given more time with the children or more authority, since mothers are not automatically granted primary custody.
An Orlando family lawyer with years of experience can be of great help to parents who are struggling to remain an important part of their children’s lives.