When parents separate, nothing matters more than protecting their children’s stability and well-being. We understand that custody decisions represent some of the hardest challenges families face during separation or divorce. Whether you’re just beginning to consider your options or actively preparing to file for custody in Palm Beach County, Broward County, or Miami-Dade, we’re here to guide you through Florida’s child custody process with clarity, compassion, and a strategic plan for your family’s future.
At Kalish & Jaggars, PLLC, we recognize that behind every custody case is a parent who simply wants what’s best for their child. Our team combines deep knowledge of Florida family law with genuine understanding of the emotional complexities you’re navigating. We prioritize your child’s well-being while protecting your parental rights every step of the way, helping you move forward with confidence knowing your family’s future is secure.
Types of Child Custody in Florida
 Understanding the different custody arrangements available in Florida helps you determine what might work best for your family’s unique situation. Florida uses specific terminology that may differ from what you’ve heard in other contexts, and each type of arrangement serves different family situations and addresses different child needs. Since July 1, 2023, Florida law includes a presumption that equal time-sharing is in the best interests of the child, though courts can deviate from this when evidence supports a different arrangement.
Shared Parental Responsibility (Joint Custody & Decision-Making)
Shared parental responsibility is the starting point Florida courts prefer unless there’s evidence that it would be detrimental to the child. Under shared parental responsibility, both parents retain equal rights to make major decisions about their child’s lifeâincluding choices about education, healthcare, religious upbringing, and general welfare. This shared decision-making authority reflects Florida’s public policy that children benefit from ongoing relationships with both parents after separation.
It’s important to understand that shared parental responsibility doesn’t necessarily mean equal time-sharing. Both parents have substantial involvement in their child’s life and equal authority over important decisions, but the actual time the child spends with each parent may be divided in whatever way best serves the child’s needs and practical considerations like school location and work schedules.
Sole Parental Responsibility (Full Custody &Â Sole Decision-Making)
Sole parental responsibility means one parent has the exclusive right to make all major decisions about the child’s upbringing without consulting the other parent. Florida courts award sole parental responsibility only in situations where shared responsibility would be detrimental to the child. This typically occurs in cases involving domestic violence, substance abuse, neglect, abandonment, or when one parent has demonstrated a complete inability to make parenting decisions in the best interest of the child.
Even when one parent has sole parental responsibility, the other parent usually still has time-sharing rights unless there are significant safety concerns. The distinction is about decision-making authority rather than eliminating the other parent’s relationship with the child entirely.
Majority Time-Sharing
In a majority time-sharing arrangement, both parents may share parental responsibility for major decisions, but the child primarily resides with one parent and spends less time with the other. The parent with majority time-sharing typically has the child living with them during the school week, while the other parent has regular time-sharing on weekends, certain weekdays, and during holidays and school breaks.
This arrangement is common when parents live far from each other, when work schedules make equal time-sharing impractical, or when it simply serves the childâs best interests to have one primary residence. The parent with less time still plays an active role in the child’s life and shares in important decisions about their upbringing.
Equal Time-Sharing (50/50 Custody)
Equal time-sharing means the child spends approximately the same amount of time living with each parent. With Florida’s 2023 legal presumption favoring equal time-sharing, this arrangement has become increasingly common when circumstances allow. Equal time-sharing works best when parents live relatively close to each other, can maintain consistent routines for school and activities, and can communicate effectively about the child’s needs.
Successful equal time-sharing arrangements require flexibility, cooperation, and a genuine commitment to making the schedule work for the child rather than the parents. Courts consider many factors when determining whether equal time-sharing is appropriate, including the distance between parents’ homes, the child’s age and needs, each parent’s work schedule, and the ability of both parents to maintain consistent routines.
Temporary Custody
Temporary parental responsibility and time-sharing arrangements are established during divorce or paternity proceedings to provide stability while the case is pending. These temporary orders address immediate concerns about where the child will live, how time will be divided, and who can make decisions about school and healthcare in the interim.
Temporary arrangements remain in effect until the court issues a final judgment. While they’re called “temporary,” these orders can last many months depending on how long the case takes to resolve. Courts take temporary custody seriously because they understand children need stability and predictability even during the legal process.
Supervised Time-Sharing
Supervised time-sharing is court-ordered when there are legitimate safety concerns about a child being alone with one parent. During supervised time-sharing, that parent’s time with the child must be monitored by either a responsible third party approved by the court or at a designated supervised visitation facility.
Supervision protects the child while still allowing them to maintain a relationship with the parent. Common reasons for requiring supervised time-sharing include substance abuse issues, mental health concerns, domestic violence history, or past incidents of abuse or neglect. Supervised time-sharing isn’t necessarily permanentâit can be a step toward unsupervised time-sharing once the parent demonstrates they can provide a safe environment.
What Influences Custody Decisions in Florida
Florida courts make all parental responsibility and time-sharing decisions based on the child’s best interests. This isn’t just a general principleâFlorida law specifically outlines numerous factors that judges must consider when determining what custody arrangement will best serve a child’s safety, stability, and healthy development. Understanding these factors helps you know what the court will be evaluating in your case.
Parenting Capacity and Involvement
One of the most significant factors in any custody case is each parent’s demonstrated ability to provide love, guidance, and stability for the child. Florida courts look closely at your track record of involvement in your child’s daily lifeâwhether you’ve been present for school activities, attended parent-teacher conferences, taken your child to medical appointments, helped with homework, and participated in extracurricular activities.
The court wants to see a demonstrated commitment to meeting your child’s physical, educational, and emotional needs. This isn’t about being a perfect parentâit’s about showing the court you’re actively engaged in your child’s life and capable of providing the care they need.
Home Environment and Stability
The quality and stability of each parent’s living situation weighs heavily in custody decisions. Courts evaluate whether your housing is adequate for a child, whether the neighborhood is safe, whether you can provide consistent routines and structure, and whether you have appropriate childcare and supervision arrangements for times when you’re working. Your living space should be suitable for a child with adequate sleeping arrangements and space for them to play, study, and grow.
Stability extends beyond just housing. Courts look at the permanency of your residence, the consistency of your employment, your relationships and social support network, and your overall ability to provide a predictable and secure environment.
Child’s Current Situation and Continuity
Florida courts place significant weight on the child’s current living arrangements and how well-adjusted they are in their present situation. If your child has been living primarily with one parent, is thriving in their current school, has established strong friendships, maintains close relationships with nearby extended family members, and displays overall stability and happiness in their current environment, the court may be hesitant.
This factor can be particularly important in cases where there’s a status quo that’s clearly working well for the child. Courts recognize that major changes in a child’s living situation can be disruptive and stressful.
Co-Parenting Ability and Willingness
Florida courts strongly favor parents who demonstrate a willingness to encourage a positive, continuing relationship between the child and the other parent. Your ability to communicate effectively with the other parent about your child’s needs, share information about school and activities, support the child’s relationship with the other parent, and avoid speaking negatively about the other parent in front of the child all factor into custody decisions.
Courts are particularly concerned about parents who try to undermine the child’s relationship with the other parent, interfere with time-sharing, or use the child as a messenger or spy. The parent who demonstrates they’ll support and facilitate the child’s relationship with both parents typically has an advantage in custody proceedings.
Child’s Preferences
Depending on your childâs age and maturity level, Florida courts may consider their preferences about living arrangements and time-sharing schedules. However, this is just one factor among many, and itâs never the controlling factor. The court evaluates whether the childâs preferences are well-considered and based on sound reasoning, or whether they might be influenced by one parent, reflect temporary emotions, or show a lack of understanding about whatâs truly in their best interests.
Older, more mature children typically have their preferences given more weight than younger children. Although it is uncommon, the judge might interview the child privately in chambers to understand their wishes without putting them in the middle of a courtroom proceeding.
Safety and Welfare Concerns
Any history of domestic violence, substance abuse, child abuse or neglect, or other safety concerns heavily influences custody decisions in Florida. The court’s primary obligation is protecting children from harm, so credible evidence of dangerous or harmful behavior by either parent will significantly impact the outcome. Criminal history, protective orders, documented incidents of violence, and ongoing substance abuse problems can all result in limited parental responsibility, supervised time-sharing, or even no contact in extreme cases.
Mental health issues can also affect custody decisions, but the analysis is nuanced. The court looks at whether a mental health condition is being properly treated, whether it affects parenting capacity, and whether it poses any risk to the child.
Secure Your Childâs Future â Speak with a Custody Attorney Today
Preparing for Your Custody Case
The single best way to manage anxiety about your custody case is to be prepared. A judge’s final decision will be based on facts and evidence, and the parent who is organized, has good records, and stays focused on the child’s well-being is always in a much stronger position.
Building Your Case Through Documentation
When it comes to custody proceedings, you need to document your role as a parent with evidence, not just words. Florida courts make decisions based on facts and patterns they can verify, which is why detailed documentation of your parenting activities is so important. Start keeping a detailed journal of your daily interactions with your childârecord when you pick them up from school, help with homework, prepare meals, handle bedtime routines, and spend quality time together on weekends.
Attend and document every school event, medical appointment, and extracurricular activity you possibly can. Keep copies of school communications, medical records showing you attended appointments, programs from school plays and sports events, and any other evidence showing your active involvement. Maintain records of your communications with teachers, doctors, coaches, and other adults involved in your child’s life.
Save text messages, emails, and other communications with the other parent, especially those related to your child’s care and your parenting arrangements. This documentation can be crucial if disputes arise about who said what or whether agreements were made and broken.
Creating Stability for Your Child
Florida courts prioritize stability when making custody decisions, so demonstrating that you can provide a stable environment for your child is essential. Maintain regular, consistent housing arrangements rather than moving frequently. If you’re currently in temporary housing, work toward securing permanent accommodations before or during your custody case.
Establish and maintain predictable routines for meals, homework time, and bedtime that provide structure and security for your child. Ensure you have reliable childcare arrangements in place for times when you’re working. Your living space should be safe and age-appropriate, with adequate sleeping arrangements for your child and sufficient space for them to play, study, and have their own belongings.
Protecting Your Child’s Emotional Well-being
Custody proceedings can be confusing and frightening for children, even when parents try to shield them from the details. Maintain age-appropriate communication with your child about the changes happening in your family. Be honest that things are changing while also reassuring them about what will stay constantâthat both parents love them, that they’re not responsible for adult decisions, and that they’ll continue to have relationships with both parents.
Avoid discussing adult details like legal strategies, court proceedings, financial matters, or your feelings about the other parent with your child. Never criticize the other parent in front of your child or allow others to do so in your presence. Keep your child’s daily routines as normal and consistent as possible throughout the legal process.
Pay attention to signs that your child might be struggling emotionally and seek professional help if needed. A child therapist or counselor can provide a safe space for your child to express their feelings and learn healthy coping strategies.
Understanding Professional Involvement
Depending on the complexity of your case, various professionals may become involved in the custody proceedings. Florida courts can appoint a guardian ad litem to investigate your family situation and advocate for your child’s best interests. The guardian ad litem will typically interview both parents, observe parent-child interactions, review relevant documents, speak with teachers and other third parties, and make recommendations to the court.
Child psychologists or counselors might be asked to conduct evaluations of family dynamics, parent-child relationships, or the child’s adjustment and preferences. In high-conflict cases, Florida courts sometimes appoint parenting coordinators to help implement the parenting plan and resolve day-to-day disputes without constant court intervention.
Build a Strong Custody Case with Legal Support
Navigating the Emotional Challenges of Custody Proceedings
Child custody cases aren’t just legal proceedingsâthey’re deeply emotional experiences that can test your strength and resilience. Understanding and managing these feelings is just as important as understanding the law itself.
Taking Care of Yourself During This Difficult Time
Custody cases trigger some of the most intense emotions people ever experienceâfear about your relationship with your child, anger at the other parent or the situation, and profound uncertainty about the future. These feelings are completely normal when you’re going through such a major life transition. What’s important is recognizing these emotions and not letting them drive your decisions or behavior during the legal process.
Build a strong support network of friends, family members, or a therapist who can provide emotional support and perspective during this challenging time. Focus your energy on what you actually can controlâbeing the best parent you can be, following court orders, documenting your involvement, and working with your attorney on legal strategy.
Remember that this case is ultimately about your child’s future happiness, stability, and wellbeing, not about winning or punishing the other parent. Take care of your physical and mental healthâexercise, sleep, healthy eating, and stress management aren’t luxuries during a custody case; they’re necessities.
Helping Your Child Process Family Changes
Children experience complex emotions during custody proceedings, even when parents try to protect them from the details. Your child might feel confusion about what the future holds, loyalty conflicts between parents they love, fear about how their life will change, or sadness about the family’s transformation. Some children even feel responsible for their parents’ problems, though this is entirely beyond their control.
Provide consistent reassurance that both parents love them and that the family changes are adult decisions, not the child’s fault. Maintain as much stability as possible in their daily routines, school activities, friendships, and relationships with extended family. If your child expresses preferences about custody arrangements, listen respectfully without pressuring them to choose sides.
Professional counseling can be incredibly beneficial for children during custody proceedings. A skilled child therapist provides a safe, neutral space for your child to express their feelings and learn healthy coping strategies without worrying about hurting either parent’s feelings.
Maintaining Productive Co-Parenting Communication
Even when your relationship with the other parent is strained or hostile, effective communication about your child remains essential. Keep all interactions focused on your child’s needs rather than your relationship grievances or past conflicts. Use respectful, business-like language in all communications, treating exchanges with the other parent more like professional correspondence than personal conversations.
Follow any temporary custody orders exactly as written, even if you disagree with them or find them inconvenient. Document instances where the other parent fails to comply with court orders, but avoid retaliating by breaking the rules yourself. Never use your child as a messenger for adult mattersâthis puts unfair pressure on children and can seriously damage your custody case.
Consider using email or a co-parenting app for most communications about your child. These tools create documentation of all exchanges and encourage more measured, thoughtful communication compared to heated phone calls or text arguments.
Life After Your Custody Order
The real work of co-parenting begins after the Florida court issues your final custody order and parenting plan. The legal process might be over, but the day-to-day reality of sharing parenting responsibilities is just beginning.
Making Your Parenting Plan Work in Practice
Approach your parenting plan as a framework for cooperation rather than a rigid set of rules to fight over. Follow the time-sharing schedule exactly as written, especially during the first few months after the final order. Establishing a pattern of compliance shows respect for the court’s decision and demonstrates to your child that the new arrangement is stable and permanent.
Maintain consistent communication methods about your child’s school activities, upcoming events, medical appointments, and other important matters. Many successful co-parents find that using email or dedicated co-parenting apps keeps communications documented, focused, and less prone to emotional escalation.
Keep detailed records of how the arrangement is working, any challenges that arise, and any instances where the other parent doesn’t follow the parenting plan. This documentation may become important if you eventually need to seek modifications.
Building Successful Long-term Co-Parenting Relationships
Effective co-parenting requires ongoing effort, flexibility, and communication about the major decisions you share under parental responsibility. Establish regular check-ins with the other parent about your child’s development, upcoming school events, any concerns that arise, and plans that need to be coordinated.
Stay actively involved in your child’s school activities and maintain your own relationships with teachers, coaches, and other adults in your child’s life. Learn to be flexible when reasonable adjustments are needed for work schedule changes, special events, family celebrations, or genuine emergencies.
Always prioritize your child’s best interests over personal conflicts or grievances from the past. The relationship between you and the other parent has changed, but your shared commitment to your child’s wellbeing remains constant.
Recognizing When Changes May Be Necessary
Life circumstances change, and sometimes parenting plans need modifications to reflect new realities. Substantial changes in work schedules, living situations, or your child’s needs may warrant modifications to the existing arrangement. Remarriage, relocation opportunities, significant changes in income or health, or the emergence of safety concerns might all affect whether your current parenting plan still serves your child’s best interests.
Children’s needs and preferences also change significantly as they grow and develop. A time-sharing schedule that worked well for a young child might not be practical or appropriate for a teenager. When safety concerns arise or one parent consistently violates the parenting plan, modifications may be necessary to protect your child.
Understanding Joint Custody Child Support in Florida
One common question parents ask is whether child support applies when they have joint custody or equal time-sharing. Under Florida child custody laws, joint custody child support is still required in most cases. Even with a 50/50 parenting arrangement, the parent with higher income typically pays support to ensure the child maintains a consistent standard of living in both homes.
Florida uses an income shares model that considers each parent’s earnings, the number of overnights with each parent, and child-related expenses like health insurance and daycare. The goal is to ensure that the child’s financial needs are met regardless of which home they’re in at any given time. While equal time-sharing affects the calculation by recognizing that both parents are directly providing for the child during their time, it doesn’t automatically eliminate child support obligations.
The court looks at the combined income of both parents and determines what would be spent on the child if the family lived together, then divides that obligation based on each parent’s proportional share of income. This approach recognizes that children deserve to benefit from both parents’ financial resources, even when time is shared equally.
Relocation With Your Child in Florida
If a parent wants to move more than 50 miles from their current residence for more than 60 consecutive days, they must follow Florida’s strict relocation laws. This requires either written agreement from the other parent or a formal petition and court hearing. You cannot move first and seek permission laterâdoing so can result in serious legal consequences including contempt of court.
Courts evaluate relocation requests based on numerous factors: the opportunities available for the child in the new location, the logistics of maintaining the relationship with the non-relocating parent, the relationships the child has in both the current and proposed locations, and the reasons motivating the move. The relocating parent bears the burden of proving that the move serves the child’s best interests.
Florida’s relocation statute requires specific notice provisions and detailed information about the proposed move, including the new address, the reasons for relocation, and a proposed revised time-sharing schedule. These cases can be highly contested, and having experienced legal representation is crucial whether you’re requesting or opposing a relocation.
Modifying an Existing Parenting Plan
A parenting plan can be changed only when there’s a substantial and material change in circumstances. As of 2023, Florida law removed the previous requirement that the change be “unanticipated,” making modifications somewhat more accessible while still maintaining a high bar to protect children from constant litigation.
Examples of substantial and material changes include major safety concerns that have emerged, substance abuse or successful rehabilitation, significant relocations affecting the current arrangement, persistent refusal to follow the parenting plan, or significant changes in a child’s needs as they grow. The parent seeking modification must prove both that circumstances have changed substantially and that the proposed modification serves the child’s best interests.
The process involves filing a supplemental petition with the court, providing detailed evidence of the changed circumstances, and potentially returning to mediation before proceeding to a hearing. Courts are careful about modifications because children need stability, but they also recognize that life circumstances evolve and parenting plans must sometimes adapt.
Enforcing Your Parenting Plan
If the other parent refuses to follow the court-ordered parenting plan, Florida courts have powerful enforcement tools available. Courts can order make-up time-sharing to compensate for missed time, impose fines and sanctions against the violating parent, require attendance at parenting classes, modify exchange locations or supervision requirements, award attorney’s fees, or even modify the parenting plan when patterns of violation continue.
Document everything related to violationsâtexts showing refused exchanges, missed pickups with specific dates and times, denied access to school or medical information, and any other instances of non-compliance. This documentation is essential for filing a motion for contempt or seeking enforcement through the court.
Florida courts take parenting plan enforcement seriously because they understand that consistent, predictable arrangements are crucial for children’s wellbeing. However, you must follow proper legal procedures for enforcement rather than taking matters into your own hands, which could damage your own standing with the court.
How Kalish & Jaggars, PLLC Can Help You
Child custody matters are deeply personal and emotionally challenging in ways that few other legal proceedings can match. At Kalish & Jaggars, PLLC, we combine strong legal advocacy with genuinely compassionate support as you navigate this difficult process across Palm Beach County, Broward County, and Miami-Dade.
We work closely with you to understand your family’s unique situation, concerns, and goals. Then we develop a legal strategy tailored to your specific circumstancesâone that protects both your parental rights and your child’s future well-being. We’re prepared to advocate for you through negotiation and mediation when cooperative resolution is possible, but we’re equally prepared to provide aggressive courtroom representation when litigation becomes necessary.
We understand that behind every custody case is a family seeking stability, protection, and hope for a positive future. Our team has earned a reputation throughout South Florida for clear communication that keeps you informed at every stage, responsive service when you have questions or concerns, and strategic thinking that anticipates challenges before they become problems.
Frequently Asked Questions About Child Custody in Florida
What not to say in child custody mediation?
Avoid blaming, criticizing, or attacking the other parent during mediation. Focus on your child’s needs, stability, and practical solutions instead of rehashing past conflicts or assigning fault. Mediation works best when both parents approach it as a problem-solving session rather than an opportunity to air grievances. Your attorney can help you prepare for mediation by identifying productive discussion points and helping you stay focused on forward-looking solutions.
Who pays attorney fees in child custody cases?
Florida courts have discretion to order either parent to pay attorney fees in custody cases, typically based on financial ability and whether one parent caused unnecessary litigation or engaged in bad faith conduct. Courts consider each party’s income and assets, the reasonableness of positions taken, and whether either party has unnecessarily prolonged the proceedings. In cases involving contempt or enforcement, courts often require the non-complying parent to pay the other parent’s attorney fees.
Who has to pay child support in joint custody?
Even with joint custody (shared parental responsibility), the parent with the higher income often pays support to help maintain the child’s standard of living in both households. Florida’s income shares model considers both parents’ incomes, the time-sharing arrangement, and child-related expenses to determine the appropriate support amount. The calculation recognizes that equal time-sharing af
Do you pay child support with 50/50 custody?
Yes, child support may still apply with 50/50 custody arrangements in Florida. While equal time-sharing is factored into the calculation and reduces the support amount compared to unequal arrangements, the parent with significantly higher income will typically still owe some support. The court’s goal is ensuring the child has similar resources and standard of living in both homes, which requires the higher-earning parent to contribute more financially.
How long does the custody process take in Florida?
Timelines vary significantly based on whether the case is contested or uncontested. Uncontested cases where parents agree on parenting arrangements typically resolve in one to three months, while mediated agreements usually take three to six months. Contested cases that proceed to trial often take six to eighteen months or longer depending on court backlogs in your specific county, complexity of issues, need for evaluations, and other factors. Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade each have different scheduling practices.
Can I get temporary custody while my case is pending?
Yes, you can request temporary relief from the Florida court to address immediate decisions about your child’s living situation while the case proceeds. Temporary orders are especially important when there are safety concerns or when current arrangements are causing instability. The court can establish temporary time-sharing schedules, decision-making authority, and child support obligations that remain in effect until the final judgment. These temporary orders are fully enforceable.
What should I include in my parenting plan?
Florida parenting plans must address several required components including detailed time-sharing schedules for regular weeks, weekends, holidays, school breaks, and summer vacation. The plan should clearly allocate decision-making responsibilities for education, healthcare, and extracurricular activities. Include communication methods between parents and between parents and children, transportation arrangements for exchanges, and procedures for resolving future disputes. The more detailed and specific your plan, the fewer opportunities there are for future conflicts.
How much will my custody case cost?
Custody case costs vary widely depending on whether your case is contested or uncontested and the complexity of issues involved. Uncontested cases where parents reach agreements are significantly less expensive than contested cases requiring extensive litigation or trial. Factors affecting cost include the duration of the case, whether professional services like custody evaluations or guardian ad litem investigations are needed, the number of court hearings required, and whether the case settles through mediation or proceeds to trial. Schedule a consultation with Kalish & Jaggars, PLLC for an accurate cost estimate based on your specific situation.
What if the other parent violates our custody order?
If the other parent fails to follow your court-ordered parenting plan in Florida, you can file a motion for contempt with the court. Document all violations carefully with specific dates, times, and details of each instance where the other parent didn’t comply with the time-sharing schedule, denied you access to information, or violated other terms. Work with an attorney to present this evidence and seek appropriate remedies including makeup time-sharing, fines, modifications when patterns continue, and potentially attorney’s fees.
Can I move out of state with my child?
Relocating out of state with your child in Florida requires either the written consent of the other parent or court approval through a formal relocation petition. Florida has strict statutory procedures you must follow, including providing advance notice with detailed information about the proposed move. The court will consider multiple factors including your reason for moving, the impact on your child’s relationship with the other parent, educational opportunities, and the feasibility of maintaining that relationship through revised long-distance time-sharing arrangements.
How do I modify an existing custody order?
To modify parental responsibility or time-sharing arrangements in Florida, you must show a substantial, material change in circumstances since the court issued the original order. The proposed modification must also serve your child’s best interests. Common reasons include significant employment or schedule changes, remarriage affecting the household, safety concerns that have emerged, your child’s changing needs and preferences as they mature, or consistent problems with the current arrangement. Work with an experienced family law attorney to evaluate whether your circumstances meet Florida’s modification standards.
At what age can a child choose which parent to live with in Florida?
Florida law doesn’t specify a particular age at which children can choose their living arrangements, and children don’t have the legal right to make this decision regardless of age. However, Florida courts may consider a child’s preferences as one factor among many, with more weight given to the preferences of older, more mature children. The judge evaluates whether your child’s preferences are well-reasoned and based on sound judgment. Even when a teenager expresses strong preferences, the court still considers all other statutory factors and makes the final decision based on overall best interests.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Making decisions about your child’s future can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re also dealing with the emotional challenges of separation or divorce. You don’t have to navigate Florida’s complex custody process alone. The experienced family law team at Kalish & Jaggars, PLLC is here to guide you through every step while protecting your parental rights and your child’s wellbeing.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation where we can discuss your unique situation, answer your questions about Florida custody law, and help you understand your options. Whether you’re in Palm Beach County, Broward County, or Miami-Dade, we’ll work with you to develop a strategy that protects your relationship with your child while pursuing custody arrangements that serve their best interests. You can move forward with confidence knowing that your child’s future and your parental rights are in capable, caring hands.
