Joint Custody in Florida

Divorces are famously distressing for children. When two parents decide to divorce, their children are often plagued by confusion and uncertainty about where they will live, who will take care of them, and how they should relate to parents during the divorce process.

Divorce is fraught with difficult questions for children, but parents must figure out how to answer them. One of the biggest questions families face during divorce is who will have custody and primary parental rights—and you will need an experienced child custody lawyer to help you get the answer you want.

Call (800) 822-5170 today if you are concerned about your child custody agreement. Our lawyers are here to help.

What Is Joint Custody and How Does it Work?

There are two different forms of joint custody: joint legal custody, and joint physical and legal custody.

• Joint Legal Custody: Joint legal custody allows both parents to have a say in major decisions related to their child’s well-being, such as where they will live, go to school, and so on. This does not have to occur in conjunction with shared physical custody. In fact, all legal custody requires is that both parents work together to make important choices about their child’s life.
• Joint Physical and Legal Custody: In addition to joint legal custody and all that it entails, a judge may award joint physical custody to 2 parents who live near one another and are able to fairly (or at least near-evenly) split daily parental responsibilities such as picking children up from school. This typically means children spend equal time living with either parent in a given month.

How Is Child Custody Decided?

When you and your spouse go before a judge, the court will evaluate your respective fitness as parents and determine what sort of agreement is most appropriate given your circumstances. Sometimes conflict between divorcing spouses can affect a judge’s child custody decision, such as infidelity, abuse, drug use, or reckless behavior. It is very possible to accidentally create an undesirable impression of yourself when being evaluated by a judge, even with one ill-worded statement. However, hiring a knowledgeable legal representative can make all the difference.

Speak with a Joint Custody Lawyer in Florida Today

Connect with The Virga Law Firm, P.A. right away if you are concerned about the outcome of your divorce in terms of child custody. Whether you are seeking to establish joint custody or are unhappy with your joint custody arrangement, the experienced attorneys on our team can help you work toward the result you want. We provide personal, attentive service to every client and are prepared to begin serving you as soon as possible.

Schedule your consultation with one of our joint custody attorneys today.