Maitland Child Custody Lawyer
Deciding how children will divide their time between their parents often proves to be one of the most difficult aspects of divorce. Fortunately, these decisions don’t have to be left up to a judge, but can be resolved between a child’s parents in an out-of-court setting. If, however, this isn’t possible, then a judge will step in and come up with a parenting plan that is in the child’s best interests. To learn more about this standard, or for help coming up with a parenting plan that is best for your family, please call a Maitland child custody lawyer today.
Drafting a Parenting Plan
In Florida, courts will only finalize a divorce (if a couple shares children) when there is a parenting plan in place. These plans outline how the parents will not only share time with their child, but how responsibilities and decision-making authority will be divided. At a minimum, parenting plans must include a time sharing schedule, as well as details about pick-ups and drop-offs, and a designation for who will be responsible for healthcare, education, and extracurricular activity-related matters. If a parenting plan is found insufficient, a court will refuse to approve it and may implement measures of its own.
Examples of Time Sharing Schedules
There is no one-size-fits-all parenting plan, as each family’s situation is unique. There are, however, certain types of plans that do tend to work for many families, including:
- A weekly exchange, where the parents alternate custody every other week and tends to work best when both parents have similar work schedules;
- Two weeks at a time, in which parents alternate custody every two weeks, which is often better for older children who have busier schedules;
- A 3-4-4-3 schedule, which is a two week arrangement where one parent has the children for four days, while the other parent has custody for three days, with the parents switching the following week;
- A 2-2-5-5 schedule, which is another two week arrangement that gives parents two day blocks, followed by five day blocks with the children; and
- A 2-3-2 schedule, which is a weekly schedule that alternates between both parents, with one parent having custody for two days, followed by three days with the other parent, then back to the first parent for two days before alternating the next week.
Often, parents are able to reach an agreement on one of these kinds of standard parenting time schedules on their own. If, however, this is not possible, a judge will create a schedule based on the child’s best interests. At Anderson & Ferrin, our dedicated attorneys have over 35 years of experience helping parents devise parenting plans that ensure continuing and meaningful contact with both parents. Call us today to learn more about how we could help with your own custody-related issues.
Experienced Maitland Child Custody Lawyers
If you and your partner have decided to separate and you need help coming up with a custody arrangement, don’t hesitate to call a dedicated Maitland child custody lawyer at Anderson & Ferrin for help.
