Can parents in Florida make changes to their parenting plan?

On Behalf of | Dec 1, 2020 | Child Custody & Visitation

After weeks of discussing the issue with your former spouse, you thought that you finally had a parenting plan figured out. But now that you’ve put it into practice, you’re realizing that your parenting plan doesn’t work after all. Can you modify a plan once it’s been settled, or are parenting plans essentially set in stone?

Can you modify a parenting plan after it’s been settled?

Typically, parenting plans can be adjusted if you’ve made an informal agreement with your former spouse. If your plan isn’t working out for you, get in touch with your former spouse and see if you can discuss your agreement. You might need to alter your visitation schedule or start seeing the kids over the weekend instead of during the week.

If you need advice, an attorney with experience in family law may help. If you and your former spouse can’t come to an agreement, you might want to let the court make the final decision. This can take the responsibility out of your hands, but it also has its downsides. Once the court has ordered a certain visitation schedule, it’s a lot harder to make adjustments.

Overall, it’s better to attempt to negotiate with your former spouse before taking the matter to court. If you and your former spouse can cooperate, it will be much easier to make adjustments to your plan as you go along.

What are the advantages of hiring an attorney?

An attorney may also help you figure out a parenting schedule and make adjustments to your child custody agreement as needed. Since your attorney is an objective third party, they may able to help you figure out a parenting plan that puts your children’s needs ahead of your own. They might also offer legal advice if you end up taking the matter to court.