Few things can complicate a contentious divorce like a parent attempting to use his or her child as leverage to gain advantages in a divorce settlement, or to emotionally hurt the other party. If you are a mother or father in Duval, St. Johns, Clay, or Nassau County, and your spouse is attempting to use custody or visitation as a weapon in a divorce proceeding, you need the legal advice of an experienced family law attorney. The divorce lawyers of Jacksonville's Owenby Law, P.A. will ensure that your parental rights are protected. Contact us immediately to schedule an appointment.
Parental Rights in the State of Florida
The laws governing shared custody and parenting plans in Florida proceed from the assumption that a child's interests are best served when both the mother and father can play a part in his or her life. That does not necessarily mean that a time-sharing schedule must involve an equal number of overnight visits, but the law does require both parents to respect the conditions of a court-approved schedule.
When a client advises one of our divorce lawyers that his or her spouse is threatening to withhold visitation, or has failed to respect an interim time-sharing schedule, there are several courses of action that we can take. Sometimes, a phone call to the other party's divorce lawyer will bring the recalcitrant spouse into compliance. In other cases, it may require the direct intervention of the courts. In Florida, an approved parenting plan is considered a court order and is enforceable through civil action.
In more extreme situations, where a parent tries to prevent the mother or father from seeing the child through illegal acts, such as falsely accusing the other parent of physical or sexual abuse, or committing parental kidnapping, the divorce lawyers of Owenby Law, P.A. will work with law enforcement to ensure that our clients' parental rights are restored.
Professional Child Custody and Visitation Family Law Attorneys
If you are a parent in Nassau, St. Johns, Duval, or Clay County, you have the legal right to be involved in the life of your child. That right should never be threatened by an angry or vindictive spouse. The divorce lawyers of Owenby Law, P.A. will protect your parental rights so that you can enjoy uninterrupted contact with your children.
To schedule an appointment at one of North Florida's top family law firms, call our Jacksonville office.