{"id":372525,"date":"2016-03-31T21:34:54","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:34:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/florida-law\/florida-child-custody-procedure.html"},"modified":"2025-05-27T10:59:27","modified_gmt":"2025-05-27T15:59:27","slug":"florida-child-custody-procedure","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/florida-law\/florida-child-custody-procedure.html","title":{"rendered":"Florida Child Custody: Procedure"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Florida Child Custody: Procedure<\/h1>\n
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\n By Olivia Wathne, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Laura Temme, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

One of the biggest issues in a divorce is often who gets custody of the children from the marriage. It can be hard to agree on who the child will live with and what amount of control the parent will have over decisions on how to raise their child.<\/p>\r\n

Throughout the Florida child custody process, the court will always prioritize the children’s best interests. Florida courts carefully consider parental rights and aim to support the child’s overall well-being in their custody determinations.<\/p>\r\n

This article explains the process of resolving child custody questions in Florida. Right off the bat, it\u2019s important to note that Florida laws generally don’t use the term \u201cchild custody." Instead, Florida custody law uses the terms "time-sharing" and "parenting plans" to describe how much time each parent will spend with their children.<\/p>\r\n

Initiating the Custody Process<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

In many cases, parenting time issues are resolved during the divorce process<\/a>. Otherwise, initiating the custody process in Florida involves filing a petition in the family court of the county where the child resides.<\/p>\r\n

The petition outlines the petitioner’s request for parenting time, including:<\/p>\r\n