| Florida law mandates that parents with a custody | | | | The parents can also add provisions and stipulations |
| situation submit a parenting plan or custody agreement | | | | that help with legal and physical custody. They should |
| to the court. A Florida plan must cover three important | | | | add anything to the agreement that will help the |
| parenting issues: parental responsibility, time share, and | | | | arrangements work better or that help the parents |
| support. Here are some suggestions for Florida | | | | raise the children. For example, the parents can |
| parents on how to make the best possible parenting | | | | choose to add a provision about being notified when |
| plan that has all of the necessary requirements. | | | | the other parent moves. In Florida, parents must include |
| The first issue the parenting plan must address is how | | | | a stipulation that explains how the plan can be |
| the parents will divide up parental responsibility after | | | | changed. |
| they separate. Parental responsibility refers to the duty | | | | To cover the issue of support, the parents should fill |
| that a mother and father have to make important | | | | out the proper child support papers. The state |
| decisions about the child's welfare. This is also called | | | | determines the amount of support (if any) that one |
| legal custody. These decisions include where the child | | | | parent pays to the other. This number is calculated |
| will go to school, the activities the child will be involved | | | | using the income of both parents, the amount of time |
| in, the medical care of the child, etc. Parents must | | | | the child is with each parent, how much each parent |
| decide who is responsible for making various decisions | | | | contributes financially to the child, etc. |
| and how those decisions will be made. Parents can | | | | Once a parenting plan has been accepted by the |
| decide that they will share this obligation, or one parent | | | | court, it becomes a legal document. The mother and |
| can be given the total responsibility. | | | | father must abide by the terms and conditions of the |
| The next thing to decide is how the parents will share | | | | plan or they can be held in contempt of court. If either |
| time with the child. This is commonly called physical | | | | parent wishes to make a change to the plan, they can |
| custody. The child can live primarily with one parent | | | | discuss the change with the other parent or ask the |
| and visit the other parent (this is a sole custody | | | | court to modify it. The family law courts in Florida are |
| arrangement), or the child can spend time living with | | | | the circuit courts. Each circuit court has jurisdiction over |
| both parents (this is a joint custody arrangement). The | | | | several Florida counties. Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa |
| parents should come up with a schedule that outlines | | | | Rosa and Walton make up the first circuit court. |
| when the child is with the mother and father. This | | | | Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, and Wakulla |
| schedule should include an everyday schedule, a | | | | make up the second circuit court. Etc. |
| holiday schedule, vacation time, and special events. | | | | |