Your relationship with your children will likely be one of your biggest worries when you file for divorce or get served with a divorce petition. Splitting custody means less time with the children, and the rift between you and your ex could also do emotional damage to the bond you have with your kids.
No one wants to get cut off from their children, and many people have heard horror stories of exactly that happening during a contentious divorce. Trying to make sense of how the Florida family courts handle parental rights during a divorce can help you feel more confident about your decision to file (or at least about the likely outcome when responding to your spouse’s filing).
Florida allocates time-sharing, not custody, in a divorce
The word custody implies ownership and also has an association with contentious legal proceedings. Florida has helped to refocus discussions about the end of a marriage by reframing parenting issues as time-sharing rather than custody. The focus should be on what is best for the children, not just what their parents want.
The judge presiding over your case will make a determination about how to split the time with the kids between you and your ex. They will look at your relationship with your children, your job obligations and especially what they believe will be the best interests of your children during this difficult time.
Focusing on cooperation and minimizing the stress on your children can help establish you as a good parent in the eyes of the court. This could help you secure a favorable time-sharing ruling in your upcoming divorce.