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If you are dealing with a divorce and children are involved, this can be the most stressful and uncertain time of your life and the life of a child. You both may have many unanswered questions about how your lives will play out going forward and you as the parent, may not be able to answer those and many more related questions. Divorce even affects the close family bystanders like grandparents, and relatives who might be involved in the life of your child or children. Nothing seems to be easy when families divorce especially the uncertainty of the moment and that of what the future will bring for almost everyone. At Heekin Law, P.A. our lead family law attorney Hunter Malin understands the experiences divorcing families go through and knows the importance of having continued loving and supportive relationships between children and their parents. Parents that can no longer operate as married couples can still provide the security and loving environment every child wants and needs. Child support, child custody/joint custody, time-sharing and parental responsibilities are all part of a plan designed to provide that stability divorce oftentimes breaks. The child custody laws in Florida are very cut and dry and were established to preserve what a married couple created for their children during the marriage. A continued parent/child relationship and defined responsibilities for the child or children’s wellbeing and care. These functions can be broken down into two separate components, Parental Responsibilities, and Time Sharing.
During all divorce proceedings, when minor children or dependents are involved, the Florida courts in their infinite wisdom enacted processes and procedures to provide guidance for divorced parents with regards to Parental Responsibilities and Time Sharing. Parental Responsibilities defines the decision-making rights of a parent regarding the welfare, healthcare, education and other major life events. These parental responsibilities are usually awarded to one parent, though equal authority would be best for the welfare of the child in many cases. Primary custody usually decides parental guidance but not always. Hunter Malin is an experienced child custody lawyer in Jacksonville FL who has helped countless couples and their children work out a plan for the court to accept regarding individual or shared parental responsibilities. The second component of the Florida child custody law is Time Sharing. The courts, here again, understand that divorce will alter the time spent by one of the parents and having the engagement and involvement of both parents in a child’s life is paramount to the struggles children of divorce often face. Hunter Malin is a skilled negotiator and believes that adults can often-times get on with life after divorce but children may not. Working out the best solution for children when both parents are involved in their lives is an important part of any divorce settlement.
At Heekin Law, P.A. we believe the welfare of everyone involved in a divorce when children are involved is important, and the right step towards a successful outcome. Planning for the future will greatly reduce the anxiety and stress caused by divorce and provide a roadmap to help children handle the uncertainty they are feeling. Hunter Malin is a family law attorney with over 20 years-experience involving child custody and child support issues. He is ready to meet with you to discuss your legal options and assist you with establishing child custody, child support, modify an existing child support agreement, timesharing or other matters caused by divorce. Hunter offers a high degree of knowledge and skill in all areas of family law. Give us a call today for a free consultation at 904-355-7000. Visit our website at Jax-Law.Com for a more comprehensive list of our qualifications, legal services, and experience.