Sometimes when people hear the words child custody, they may automatically believe that this means that the mothers or one parent automatically gets custody of a child, while the parents or the other parent end up just visitors. While this may have been true in limited cases many years ago, the truth is that this is neither accurate nor correct. Florida laws have changed over the years and Florida judges realize that such decisions are generally not in the best interest of the child or children. At the end of the day, Florida judges are legally bound to do whatever is in the best interest of children when it comes to a child custody battle.

Research over the years has shown that both parents play an extremely important role in children’s lives. For that reason, it is now more common for parents to share custody of their children. In fact, the state of Florida amended its laws in 2008, eliminating the terms “primary custody” and “sole custody” in exchange for the term “parenting plan.”

Under this revised Florida legislation, Florida parents are expected to work together to develop a parenting plan that is in the best interest of their children. Of course, this is not always easy to do, even when both parents really want the best for their children.

That’s when parents can turn to an experienced Orlando family attorney for help and guidance.

An experienced Orlando child custody attorney can represent the interests and rights of parents while working toward an agreement through negotiations or mediation, or in court if the parents are unable to reach an agreement that is in the best interest. of their children.

When a case goes to court, the presiding judge considers 20 legal factors to determine an appropriate parenting plan. An experienced Orlando family law attorney can help gather evidence and testimony to support your client’s case in light of these factors.

Child custody is one of the most emotional and controversial issues in Florida family law because the stakes are so high. In addition, both parents now have to show the court why they should be given more time with the children or more authority, since mothers do not automatically receive primary custody.

An Orlando family attorney with years of experience can be of great help to parents struggling to remain an important part of their children’s lives.