Divorce and Children in FL – When Court Establish the Parenting Plan

When a Family case goes to trial and parenting responsibilities are at issue, the Court will take testimony and review evidence by the parties. The parties need to set out their case in detail that adequately describes who, what and how the children’s best interests will be met.

At a minimum, the Court wants to establish the following four things in adequate detail:
-How the parties will share and be responsible for the daily tasks associated with the upbringing of the children;
-The time-sharing schedule arrangements that specify the time that the minor children will spend with each parent;
-A designation of who will be responsible for any and all forms of health care, school-related matters, including the address to be used for school-boundary determination and registration and other activities; and
-The methods and technologies that the parents will use to communicate with the child(ren).

When considering the division for time-sharing, the Judge’s primary consideration is the best interests of the child. Through evidence, all circumstances between the parents, including their relationship history, domestic violence, and other factors must be taken into consideration. Determination of the best interests of the child shall be made by evaluating all of the factors affecting the welfare and interest of the particular minor child
and the circumstances of that family. The following are the factors outlined by statute:

1. The demonstrated capacity and disposition of each parent to facilitate and encourage a close and continuing parent-child relationship, to honor the time-sharing schedule, and to be reasonable when changes are required;
2. The anticipated division of parental responsibilities after the litigation, including the extent to which parental responsibilities will be delegated to third parties;
3. The demonstrated capacity and disposition of each parent to determine, consider, and act upon the needs of the child as opposed to the needs or desires of the parent;
4. The length of time the child has lived in a stable, satisfactory environment and the desirability of maintaining continuity;
5. The geographic viability of the parenting plan, with special attention paid to the needs of school-age children and the amount of time to be spent traveling to effectuate the parenting plan. This factor does not create a presumption for or against relocation of either parent with a child;
6. The moral fitness of the parents;
7. The mental and physical health of the parents;
8. The home, school, and community record of the child;
9. The reasonable preference of the child, if the court deems the child to be of sufficient intelligence, understanding, and experience to express a preference;
10. The demonstrated knowledge, capacity, and disposition of each parent to be informed of the circumstances of the minor child, including, but not limited to, the child’s friends, teachers, medical care providers, daily activities, and favorite things;
11. The demonstrated capacity and disposition of each parent to provide a consistent routine for the child, such as discipline, and daily schedules for homework, meals, and bedtime;
12. The demonstrated capacity of each parent to communicate with and keep the other parent informed of issues and activities regarding the minor child, and the willingness of each parent to adopt a unified front on all major issues when dealing with the child;
13. Evidence of domestic violence, sexual violence, child abuse, child abandonment, or child neglect, regardless of whether a prior or pending action relating to those issues has been brought. If the court accepts evidence of prior or pending actions regarding domestic violence, sexual violence, child abuse, child abandonment, or child neglect, the court must specifically acknowledge in writing that such evidence was considered when evaluating the best interests of the child;
14. Evidence that either parent has knowingly provided false information to the court regarding any prior or pending action regarding domestic violence, sexual violence, child abuse, child abandonment, or child neglect;
15. The particular parenting tasks customarily performed by each parent and the division or parental responsibilities before the institution of litigation and during the pending litigation, including the extent to which parenting responsibilities were undertaken by third parties;
16. The demonstrated capacity and disposition of each parent to participate and be involved in the child’s school and extracurricular activities;
17. The demonstrated capacity and disposition of each parent to maintain an environment for the child which is free from substance abuse;
18. The capacity and disposition of each parent to protect the child from the ongoing litigation as demonstrated by not discussing the litigation with the child, not sharing documents or electronic media related to the litigation with the child, and refraining from disparaging comments about the other parent to the child; and
19. The developmental stages and needs of the child and the demonstrated capacity and disposition of each parent to meet the child’s developmental needs.

This list is by no means exhaustive. The Court will look at each case on its own merits and facts in evidence: