Clearwater Child Custody Attorney

Tampa Bay Child Custody Attorneys Dedicated to Your Child’s Best Interests

At The Law Offices Of Yeazell And Sweet, our Tampa child custody attorneys will assist you with developing a parenting plan (which also contains a visitation schedule) if you are in the process of getting divorced or if you are no longer with the other parent of your child.

Do I Need a Lawyer for Child Custody in Florida?

An attorney is not required for child custody cases in Florida. However, an attorney can help you guide the family court system and advocate on your behalf.

A family law attorney can also help you gather and present information to convince a judge of your position on the parenting plan and time-sharing schedule.

Call The Law Offices of Yeazell and Sweet at (813) 285-5705 or contact us online today to schedule a free consultation with a Child Custody Attorney in Tampa, FL.

What is a Time-Sharing Schedule in Florida?

Florida does not refer to custody as “child custody,” but rather the courts refer to custody arrangements as time-sharing. However, many people are familiar with “child custody” so these terms may be used interchangeably.

How you choose to care for your children is up to you and the other parent to decide; however, If you and the other parent are unable to make these decisions together, it is important to have an experienced child custody lawyer on your side.

What is the Time-sharing Schedule in Florida?

Some typical time-sharing plans in Florida include:

• Alternating weeks: The child spends one week with one parent and the next with the other.
• 2-2-5-5: The child spends two days with one parent, two days with the other parent, five days with the first parent, and five days with the second parent.
• Every extended weekend: The child spends weekdays with one parent and a long weekend with another.

The specific time-sharing schedule for a particular family will vary depending on the circumstances. Parents generally want to achieve a 50/50 time split when choosing a shared custody schedule.

Developing a Parenting Plan - Assistance Throughout Pinellas County

Families are often best served when they can reach a parenting plan outside of court with the assistance of a Clearwater child custody lawyer. However, sometimes disputes arise, and developing a strong parenting plan that can stand the test of time, is not always easy. We are prepared to help your family if you need assistance with your child custody case.

At the heart of child custody decisions is the parenting plan. Whether the parenting plan is developed with the assistance of the court, or by both parties outside of court, one will be required if you are getting divorced and have minor children, or if you are separating from your significant other and have a child together.

We are here to help you develop a parenting plan that will be thorough, flexible, and that will be accepted by the courts. Call our firm at (813) 285-5705 today to schedule a free consultation with our team.

What to Include in Your Florida Child Custody Parenting Plan

While the needs of every family will be unique, there are some factors that should be considered by each family before finalizing their divorce or finalizing their parenting plan.

Some considerations should include:

• Child’s Residence: Where will the children live? Will the children share time with both parents? Will the children remain in the family home? These are some of the most important decisions that will need to be included in any child custody arrangement.
• Time-sharing: If the children will primarily reside with one parent, when each parent will have time-sharing, whether there needs to be restrictions on one parents’ visitation, and where the visitation will take place, which are all specific details that should also be included in your parenting plan. Further, travel to and from visitation meetings should be considered. Finally, a parenting plan should also include details about how holidays will be divided.
• Decision-Making: Parenting requires that crucial decisions be made. Where will the kids go to school? What activities will they participate in? Where will the kids go to church? A parenting plan should address major decisions to be made by the parents in order to avoid future conflicts between the parents. For instance, the parenting plan may stipulate where the kids will attend school and which church the children will attend. However, a parenting plan will also need to include details about which parent will make major decisions for them in the future, or if both parents will be jointly in charge of making major decisions. The parenting plan should also include a procedure for how future disagreements between the parents will be handled.
• Communication: Whether you get along with your former partner or not, you will need to communicate. Sometimes it becomes necessary for the parties to only communicate through a parenting app to avoid direct communication. Some former couples communicate using email. Your parenting plan should include details about how you will communicate with your former partner.
• Plan for Change: Your children are growing and changing, and your family may grow and change over time. A strong parenting plan includes the flexibility to allow for future change by stipulating what steps should be taken to change the plan.

These are just some of the things you may want to consider including in your parenting plan. The child custody lawyers at The Law Offices Of Yeazell And Sweet will assist you with including important details in your parenting plan and will also ask the tough questions you will need to consider when drafting a parenting plan that works for you and your child(ren). Contact our attorneys today to learn more.

Which Parent Gets Custody in Florida?

Florida courts do not favor mothers or fathers when making custody decisions. The state of FL prefers joint or shared legal custody after a divorce, so both parents remain involved in their children's lives. The judge's primary focus is to find what is in the child's best interest.

Child Custody Agreements that Work

Finding a child custody agreement that works is key if you are getting divorced or separating from the other parent of your child(ren). The family courts will not finalize your divorce without a parenting plan if you have minor children. Likewise, a paternity case will not be concluded without a parenting plan.

Our Tampa child custody attorneys can help you create a parenting plan that works for you and is in the best interests of your child(ren). If you anticipate a custody battle, The Law Offices Of Yeazell And Sweet will aggressively advocate for you.

Choose the Right Tampa Child Custody Attorney

While it is often best when couples can resolve their differences outside of court, our child custody lawyers understand that sometimes cases need to be taken to court. Or you may need for an experienced Tampa child custody attorney to properly draft your agreements to avoid potential future family issues that may arise.

Our Tampa Bay child custody lawyers are extremely experienced in litigating custody cases and have collectively taken hundreds of cases to trial with outstanding results.

We can help with a wide range of child custody cases and help you find a solution that works for your children and family. Call our firm at (813) 285-5705 or Contact us online to get started.