There is nothing more important to a parent than their relationship with their child. Divorce can complicate this and make relationships muddy, which is why visitation and time-sharing are crucial for parents to maintain the relationships they have with their children. 

When discussing visitation and custody with your Miami FL divorce attorney things can get a little confusing. Florida no longer uses the terms "child custody" or "visitation" as of 2008 but instead uses parental responsibility, time-sharing, and parenting time. 

Parental responsibility is the authority to make decisions involving a child's health and welfare. It replaces the old term "legal custody" and is given to one or both parents. Time-sharing refers to "physical custody" or "residential custody" and is the scheduling of residential and nonresidential contact between parents and children. Parenting times are periods of nonresidential contact between a parent and child, which has replaced the term "visitation" to avoid adding to the stigma that a parent who no longer lives with a child is merely a visitor. 

There are three different types of time-sharing. Majority time-sharing is when a court gives one parent more time with their child than the other. This can be split many different ways, but it always pertains to a parent with more time than the other. 

Equal time-sharing is when both parents have equal time with their children. Again, this can be split multiple ways but always results in parents having equal time.

Supervised time-sharing is determined upon by Florida divorce courts and usually indicates that one parent is a danger to the child. This is common in cases with abuse or neglect allegations. It can also be present with a history of family violence, drug abuse, and severe mental illness. A third party must be present. 

Judges consider many factors when deciding on time-sharing, so having a Miami family law lawyer will help you understand more about how time-sharing can play out. For more information about Rafool, LLC and our family law services, please call us at 305.567.9400.