Gainesville Visitation Attorney
As a practicing attorney serving Gainesville, Florida, J. Mark Dubose handles visitation or what is now know as timesharing issues. Mr. Dubose identifies with the emotional strain and complex choices associated with setting a timesharing schedule. The Law Office of J. Mark Dubose P.A. strives to simplify this process and provide its clients with a clear workable time-sharing schedule that allows you as a parent to enjoy time with your child.
What is a Visitation Schedule?
A visitation or time-sharing schedule outlines when each parent will spend time with their child. It specifically dictates how weekends, holidays, birthdays and special occasions will be shared. Generally speaking, all parents have the right to spend time with their children.
Creating a Visitation or Timesharing Schedule
It is imperative for parents to remember divorce ends a relationship with their spouse, not their child. For this reason, parents should consider the following goals when creating a successful visitation schedule.
- Minimize Loss A child’s perspective on divorce can be quite different from that of the parents. For your child, divorce can signify the loss of a home, loving parents, pets and a daily schedule. Feelings of abandonment and despair often appear. Respect and understand your child’s emotions during this process. Make a conscious effort to avoid unneeded changes that might result in a loss for the child.
- Maximize relationships Encourage continuing relationships with all family members, including your spouse’s. Maintaining a feeling of family is vital to your child’s proper growth and understanding of self. Make time to include family members in extracurricular activities, birthday celebrations and special events. Your child should never feel guilty for wanting to spend time with his/her maternal or paternal family.
- Increase security Try to incorporate as much stability into the schedule as possible. If feasible, keep the child in the same school, maintain clearly established rules and assure them of your love.
- Avoid Conflict Creating a clearly defined schedule will reduce the stress felt by your child. Conflict between parents is harmful to the child, especially right after a divorce. Save any disagreements about child custody, support or visitation issues until your child is not around.
Modifying a Visitation or Time-Sharing Schedule
In the event you or your spouse want to modify the visitation or time-sharing schedule, a Petition to Modify unless agreed upon must be filed. As in other aspects of family law, judges are permitted to modify schedules only when a substantial change in circumstances has occurred or the child’s best interests are endangered.
The relocation of a child is often the only exception to the rule. If a custodial parent intends to move with the child a Notice of Intent to Relocate must be submitted to the court and to any party entitled to time-sharing. An objection to the proposed relocation must be filed in writing within 30 days. If an agreement between the parents cannot be reached following the objection, the court will decide whether the relocation with the child will be permitted.
The Law Office of J. Mark Dubose P.A. understands the importance of viewing visitation from both a parental and child perspective. Our goal is to assist in creating a timesharing schedule that will maintain a healthy relationship between parent and child.