There are seven family law divisions in Jacksonville, Duval County, Florida and each one has its own judge with particular preferences as to how timesharing is approved in that division. As a board certified Jacksonville divorce lawyer and having practiced in this county for the last sixteen years, I have come to learn each divorce judge's particular preferences. You may be under the impression that you and the other parent are free to enter into any parenting plan or timesharing arrangement that you both feel is best for your children. Parenting or timesharing plans, however, are always subject to the review and approval of the courts in a divorce matter. Many judges take the position that one parent has custody (now "majority timesharing") and the other parent has visitation (now "timesharing") based upon a "guideline" schedule. The right Jacksonville divorce lawyer can advise you which judges adhere fairly strictly to the guidelines with few exceptions, which judges will approve variations of these guidelines (and what those variations are), and which judges are fine with most arrangements if the parties agree (just not equal timesharing arrangements). Equal timesharing requires the right judge, the right facts, and the right lawyer to get the Court to accept the arrangement and even then, approval is rare and carries certain conditions. All of your agreements regarding parental responsibility and timesharing are contained in a parenting plan. You can view a generic parenting plan here. You should consult with a board certified Jacksonville divorce lawyer as to what parenting plan would be best for your children. Be aware, the parenting plan affects the amount ofchild support that a parent will receive or pay so any agreement should be entered into with a full awareness of how it will affect your ability to support your children while they are with you. Military families should consider such factors as a change of orders and the resulting transportation expenses associated with such a move. If there are issues such as domestic violence, a safety-focused parenting plan can be seen here. Of course, these generic plans are just a basic format and my office does not believe in a "cookie-cutter" approach to your case. Your children are the most important part of any divorce proceeding. Call me today to help you craft a parenting plan that works for you and your children.
