After Our Florida Divorce, I Am Concerned About My Ex-Husband Being Alone With The Children. Can I Get The Visitation Supervised, And Who Will The Supervisor Be?

Yes, it is possible that your ex-husband could be ordered to have supervised visitation only. Typically, judges are reluctant to order supervised visitation, and will only do so if they have a concern a parent may harm a child. In many cases, supervision is only ordered on a temporary basis until a psychological evaluation can be performed and your spouse has had a chance to demonstrate good behavior with the children.

When supervised visitation is ordered, you have several options as far as who the supervisor is. You two could agree on an individual - maybe a trusted family member or friend. If you have someone like that, it’s usually the best option, since the children already know him or her and may be comfortable around him or her. In addition, the friend or family member likely will not charge to supervise the visits.

If you don’t have a trusted friend or family member who can supervise, you may need to pay a professional monitor. There are programs operated by the state of Florida that could be used. Also, there are programs offered through private companies as well as charitable organizations. Normally, the supervisor is named in the court order, or the order may give you the right to agree on someone.