Helping Families In Lakeland Get Through A Divorce
Realizing that a divorce is the best option for you and your family is a difficult conclusion to come to, but countless late nights and too many arguments later, you and your spouse may have agreed to move forward with an uncontested divorce. Although you and your spouse could now be on relatively amicable terms, there are numerous aspects of the divorce process that can lead to contentiousness.
No matter how amicable your spouse may be, it’s important that your rights are protected and your needs properly accounted for. By working with a lawyer during this process, you gain an ally who will do everything possible to see that this happens.
Divorce And Children
If you and your spouse have children, their well-being is most likely your top concern. For this reason, it’s important to understand relatively recent changes to custody and child support in Florida.
Updated family laws have been designed to eliminate favoritism toward any particular gender in the courts, giving both parents the opportunity to be active and involved in the lives of their children. These laws:
- Abolished select custodial terms. Florida law no longer designates a “custodial parent” or “non-custodial parent.” Additionally, the terms “primary residential parent” and “secondary residential parent” are no longer used. Now, moms and dads are simply identified as parents.
- Established time-sharing. In the past, one parent was designated as the primary caregiver and the other parent had only visitation rights. Now, both parents are expected to have equal involvement in parenting responsibilities by agreeing to a time-sharing arrangement.
- Creating parenting plans. As part of the divorce settlement, parents will need to agree on a consistent parenting plan to be followed. In the event parents cannot agree, the court will assign parenting responsibilities.
Even with these laws aimed at improving the process, a divorce can still cause undue stress on a family. A Lakeland lawyer can help to mitigate this stress. By handling all legal matters and explaining complicated legal issues in plain language, your lawyer will simplify the divorce process for you, allowing you to focus on helping your family during this transitional period.
An Attorney Can Offer Support
An experienced attorney understands the turmoil a divorce creates and cam guide you through this turbulent time. With knowledge of Florida law and experience handling Lakeland divorce cases, a lawyer has critical skills you can benefit from during proceedings for the dissolution of a marriage.
Even if you’re uncertain about getting a divorce, an attorney will be happy to provide you with relevant information and insight about the process of ending a marriage. You have legal rights and options, and speaking with an attorney can help you to become more familiar with them.