Child Custody and Visitation in Florida
In any divorce in which children are involved, it is important to get an early idea of the parents' plans for child custody and visitation agreements.
If the parents have an idea in mind of how they will arrange child custody and visitation, then the divorce has a good chance of proceeding smoothly. On the other hand, if the parents disagree about what arrangements should be made for the children, then a long and hard-fought divorce process may be in the cards.
In any case, getting early legal representation in a divorce where children are involved can be a great help. At Brandt & Feinberg, our family law practice is led by attorney Lee Feinberg, who has more than 15 years' experience as a Florida family law attorney.
Brandt & Feinberg serves clients throughout South Florida in the counties of: St. Lucie/Martin, Indian River, Palm Beach and Okeechobee. Our law firm operates on the principle that a well-informed client is a happy client. We can never guarantee a particular result to our clients, but we do promise to fully explain the divorce process and what our clients can expect based on Florida's laws regarding child support and visitation.
What You Should Know About Child Custody and Visitation
In October 2008, Florida's child custody and visitation laws underwent significant changes. The new law changes the terms used by lawyers and the courts to describe child custody and visitation arrangements. The new law also gives the "non-custodial" parent more rights to remain involved in important decisions affecting their child's welfare.
Florida's new child custody law removes the concept of "primary custodian" or "primary residential parent." Instead, parents who divorce are required to create a parenting plan that spells out a timeshare arrangement between the two parents. One effect of this change is to make it easier to change the parenting plan in the future, if the parents' circumstances change and one parent wants to assume more responsibility for the child.
Another effect of the new law is to give the "non-custodial parent" (a term no longer used under the new law) more distinct rights with regard to important decisions that affect the child's welfare. Both parents now have the right to attend doctor's appointments, get medical information from a child's physician, attend school meetings, and get information about the child from teachers.
Additional general information about divorce and child custody in Florida is available via our Family Law Information Center.
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