Florida Child Custody Lawyers 

Collaborative, Creative, & Aggressive Attorneys to Advocate for Your Parental Rights

If you are facing a child custody dispute, do not hesitate to contact an attorney at Moore Rabinowitz Law for legal representation immediately. Custody issues can be difficult to resolve, even if both parents are on cooperative terms. After all, no parent wants to give up time with their children. 

At Moore Rabinowitz Law, we advocate for parents. We are deeply familiar with state custody laws, negotiations and trials tend to go. Our attorneys take a team-oriented approach to build a creative and aggressive argument to achieve your custody goals. We firmly believe in your rights as a parent and will do our best to get the results you want. 

Schedule an initial consultation with Moore Rabinowitz Law to discuss your custody options today. We are located in the heart of Broward County and serve clients throughout the entire State of Florida.

Parenting Time and Parental Responsibility

Florida law categorizes child custody into two forms: Parenting Time (known as “Timesharing”) and decision-making responsibility for the child(ren) (known as Parental Responsibility.) Parenting time refers to the parent’s physical time with the child, detailed in a visitation and custody schedule. Parents can either have equal parenting time (joint custody), or one parent can have sole custody (“majority time sharing”), in which a parent has the child for most of the time. The parent who has the most parenting time with the child is the custodial parent. 

Timesharing refers to the parent’s physical time with the child(ren). There is a detailed schedule that sets forth when each parent will enjoy time with the child(ren)including a regular and holiday schedule, taking into consideration the child(ren)’s needs and the parents’ work schedules.

Parental Responsibility refers to each parent’s right to make major legal decisions on the child’s behalf, such as regarding their medical treatment, education, or religious upbringing. Florida generally favors shared parental responsibility, though a judge can grant sole parental responsibility to only one parent if shared responsibility would be detrimental to the child’s wellbeing. Note that the custodial parent has the final say if both parents cannot agree.

When deciding on child custody, the court will consider the child’s best interests. To determine what is in the child’s best interest, the child’s needs will be evaluated, along with the ability of both parents to meet those needs. Factors such as medical health, mental health, financial situation, stability, work schedules, history of abuse, and more will be assessed. A child may be able to express their own input on the custody agreement if they are old enough.

The Parenting Plan and Making Modifications

If you are on amicable terms with the other parent and intend to co-parent together, you can propose a parenting plan outlining the parenting time and parental responsibilities you want to share. 

Your parenting plan should account for details on how you will raise your child(ren) along with your former spouse, including establishing a timesharing schedule, and choosing which parent oversees making certain decisions about your children’s lives. 

The plan should also address relocation. If one parent moves more than fifty miles from the child’s current residence, the other parent may have grounds for a custody case. Both parents must reach an agreement and file for relocation before making the move. Once relocation is approved, the parenting plan may be adjusted to take the distance into account.  

As long as the plan includes the necessary details and meets the child’s best interests, the court will approve the proposal.

Custody orders last until the youngest child turns eighteen years old. However, you have the right to request a modification of the plan, at any point if there has been a material change in circumstances impacting the child’s best interests. If you do wish to file a custody modification request, you have the burden of proving that a change would be in your child’s best interests.

An experienced child custody lawyer at Moore Rabinowitz Law can help you navigate the child custody process, whether you are just beginning custody discussions or seeking to modify an order that has been in place for several years. Our team of board-certified and AV-rated attorneys can provide the creative and strategic legal support you need to assert your rights as a parent.

Contact Moore Rabinowitz Law for an initial consultation to learn more.