Child Custody Attorney Archives - Page 2 of 6 - Wagstaff and Pitelis, P.A.

Legitimizing Paternity in Florida

It is often surprising to fathers who have a child out of wedlock that the State of Florida does not automatically grant them any rights, even if they are named as the father on the birth certificate. When a child is born out of wedlock, the mother is the guardian and has legal custody. That…

Your Divorce Attorney Can Help Even After the Divorce

Even if your divorce has been finalized for years, you may still have a need for your divorce attorney. This is especially true in divorces that include children. Here are some other things a divorce lawyer may be able to assist you with months or years after the divorce is final. Modification The most common…

How Do I Get Temporary Custody as a Non-Parent

As a member of a child’s extended family, Pinellas County does allow for temporary custody measures to be taken in certain cases when the child’s wellbeing is at stake. In Florida, child custody laws do make some provisions for extended family to gain temporary custody. Here are some factors that influence this and considerations you…

A Child Custody Attorney’s Co-Parenting Advice

As family law attorneys with experience in child custody, we understand that co-parenting can be challenging. This can be especially difficult when your relationship with the other parent is strained. However, co-parenting together in a civil manner is in the best interest of your child or children. The state of Florida makes every divorcing couple…

Creating an Ideal Parenting Plan

Sharing your children, even with their other parent, may not feel easy especially as you begin to adjust to life after a divorce. It may be a difficult transition for both you and your kids. However, there are strategies you can adopt in order to build a parenting plan that allows all parties to have…

The Role of a Guardian ad Litem

If you are going through a divorce or modifying your parenting plan and you and the other parent cannot agree on a plan, you may be assigned a guardian ad litem (GAL). This individual is a volunteer and should not have had any previous connection to either parent. Sometimes the court makes the decision to…

Understanding Temporary Custody

Sometimes moms or dads (or both) may have issues that leave them unable to provide a stable environment for their children. If you are a parent who needs some help to get back on your feet or if you are a relative to minor children who are not being properly cared for, temporary custody may…

Time-Sharing Arrangements

During your separation, you and your spouse may have a loose arrangement for making sure your children spend time with both parents. Once you move forward with a divorce, you and your divorce attorneys will need to work out an agreeable time-sharing arrangement. Often a judge will have you and the other parent come up…

Can a Child Choose Who Has Custody?

As family law attorneys, this is a very common question we hear from divorced or divorcing parents. The short answer is that until the child turns 18, the court has the final say as to which parent has custody of the minor child or children. However, it rarely seems that simple. Here are some things…

Child Custody Issues Amid Coronavirus

Although you may not normally question the time your child or children spend with their other parent, during the current coronavirus pandemic, there may be new concerns. If the other parent works in the health care industry or is a first responder, you may want a temporary modification for the safety of the children. If…