Child custody refers to the care, control, and maintenance of a minor child. In Florida, and in other states throughout the country, state child custody laws help determine which parent gets legal and physical custody. Legal custody establishes who can make educational, medical, disciplinary, and religious decisions, while physical custody establishes where a child will live.
Child custody can be awarded to one parent (i.e. sole custody) or to both parents (i.e. joint custody).When divorcing parents come into court for a decision on parenting arrangements, Florida judges base their decisions on the “best interests of the child.”
Although the best interests of the child are difficult to quantify, several factors which may determine best interests include the following:
If you and the other parent cannot reach a mutually acceptable arrangement when it comes to shared parental responsibilities, a Florida judge could make those decisions for you, determining which parent is better suited to be the custodial parent. While the court often thinks that contact with both parents remains in the best interests of the child, negative life choices (e.g. use of drugs or alcohol, instances of domestic violence, or incarceration) are taken into consideration.
If co-parenting is not possible, a Florida judge will likely consider the following factors when determining the parental responsibility of the child:
A custody agreement is a lengthy document that requires many difficult discussions. With support from a New Port Richey family lawyer from Dale L. Bernstein, Chartered Law Office, you can reach a fair resolution.
For more information, contact us at (727) 312-1112 and schedule an appointment today.