Florida Parenting Plans and Modifications

In the last few years, there have been sweeping changes to Florida’s child custody laws. Florida’s views on child custody and visitation have taken a progressive approach to the problems children of divorce have faced for ages. Residents of Florida will essentially benefit from the improvements in the state’s child custody and visitation laws, to such an extent, that they can be a model to other states that are still behind the times.

State law now requires both parents to sit down and come up with a parenting plan on their own terms as opposed to automatic custody being awarded to the mother out of default. This new approach not only places importance on the father’s role, but it recognizes the importance of both parents playing an active role in their child’s life. If you are about to draw up a parenting plan, or if you need to make a modification to the existing one, then it would be in your best interests to speak with a qualified family law attorney who will make sure that your best interests are protected from the start.

A parenting plan will clearly lay out where the child will live and how often they will visit the other parent. It will outline the child’s weekly schedule and parents will have to decide on a holiday visitation schedule.

The parents will make agreements about how communication will be shared between the child and one parent, while they are staying with the other. Will they have unlimited phone calls? Can they communicate via e-mail or text?

Once the parents have prepared their parenting plan, the court will have to make a final once over and approve it. If circumstances change (which they often do), then a modification can be made down the road. Either the parents can work with one another to make the changes or if they cannot agree, then one of the parents can petition the court for a modification.

In order for the court to approve a modification, the requesting parent will have to prove a significant change in circumstances and, that a modification would be in the best interests of the child.

Contact a Jacksonville Parenting Plan Lawyer

If you need assistance with a parenting plan or making a modification to an existing parenting plan, contact a Jacksonville parenting plan attorney from Hutchinson Lawfor help.

Contact a Jacksonville parenting plan lawyer from our firm today for a free consultation.