Decisions about parenting time are some of the most important decisions you’ll make as a single or divorcing parent. The law protects a parent’s right to spend time with his or her child except in the most severe cases, but how much time and when these visits occur varies from family to family.
As a law firm familiar with parental responsibility and timesharing, and with extensive experience working with a wide variety of families, we understand every situation is unique and every family has its own specific set of needs.
We can provide the necessary guidance to help you create an arrangement that is in your child’s best interest and that satisfies you, your child’s other parent, and the law, for today and the future.
Parenting Issues Can Be Resolved with Mediation
Ideally, parents will be able to settle their issues with parenting time amicably. Discussing the options and finding a solution that is agreed upon by everyone is the best solution for a family. We always strive to help clients achieve this in the least confrontational way and at the least expense.
Despite the best intentions of everyone involved, a number of issues can arise during discussions regarding timesharing. This is especially true when parenting time schedules must be created in the midst of a divorce. Your first temporary timesharing schedule can impact the ultimate arrangement, so it’s important to speak to an attorney and create a sensible arrangement right from the beginning.
There are also occasions when an existing parenting plan must be amended. An attorney can work with you and your child’s other parent to create an amended plan that is in your child’s best interest and that is convenient and fair for each parent.
If things are too heated to arrive at an agreement between the parties and/or attorneys, Mediation can be a useful tool, and one that Courts typically require before having a hearing on timesharing issues. A mediator is neutral third party educated in the relevant law and also in conciliatory schools. The mediator can help each party whether together or separate as preferred, to feel heard and remove the adversarial nature of the situation.
What Happens When Timesharing Issues are a Problem?
Unfortunately, not all families are able to agree on what’s best for their children and what works for them as individual parents. When this type of situation arises, it’s essential that you have an attorney who understands the latest laws regarding parenting time and visitation to help you protect your parental rights.
Problems occur even when both parents have their child’s best interest in mind and just don’t agree on what’s best. But problems can be especially difficult if either parent does not make his or her child a priority. All too often, divorcing parents inappropriately use their children against one another and the child is stuck in the middle of a very adult problem.
If your child’s other parent is trying to make things difficult and preventing the creation of a sensible timesharing or parenting time schedule, we can help. We understand how sensitive issues are regarding children and we will work very hard to protect your parental rights and your child’s safety and well-being.
Avoiding Problems with Parenting Time
An experienced attorney can diffuse many common parenting time issues and help you and your family create a plan that works for everyone.
Whether you need someone to oversee parenting time and visitation mediation or someone to protect your parental rights, Wayne F. Jentis Esq., Victoria A. Kroger, Esq., and the staff at East Coast Law, P.A. can help. Our staff has experience working with families throughout Florida and other states or even other countries. We understand how important it is to create the right specific plan for your unique set of circumstances and will always focus on the needs of your children.
For more information or to learn how you can move forward with your legal matter, please contact us at one of the numbers above to schedule a consultation. We provide in depth consultations for a nominal fee that can help you understand your legal rights and to provide you with various options you may have to address your concerns.