Orlando Child Custody Lawyer

Our Orlando child custody attorneys will help you pursue the custody rights you desire. At McMichen, Cinami & Demps, we have over 50 years of combined experience helping parents secure custody rights for their children. Contact us today for a free consultation at (407) 898-2161.

As a parent, securing custody rights is likely to be one of the most important aspects of your divorce.

We assist clients throughout Orlando, Fl and the Central Florida area.

Why Choose McMichen, Cinami & Demps for Help With My Child Custody Case in Orlando, FL?

Child custody disputes can be emotionally challenging and legally complex. Whether you are establishing a parenting plan, seeking sole or shared parental responsibility, or modifying an existing custody arrangement, having experienced legal counsel can make a significant difference in the outcome of your case.

McMichen, Cinami & Demps focuses exclusively on family law matters and brings more than 50 years of combined family law experience to every case. Our Orlando family lawyers have handled a wide range of child custody and time-sharing disputes in Orlando, FL, and the surrounding areas.

Clients choose McMichen, Cinami & Demps because we offer:

• A practice dedicated exclusively to family law matters
• A Board Certified Marital and Family Law attorney on the team
• Professional recognitions, including an AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, selection to Super Lawyers, the Legal Aid Society’s Award of Excellence, and recognition for exceptional pro bono service from the Supreme Court of Florida
• Extensive experience handling child custody and parenting disputes
• Skilled negotiation and courtroom advocacy in contested custody matters
• Personalized legal strategies tailored to each family’s circumstances

When you work with us, you can trust that your child custody case will be handled by attorneys who understand the importance of protecting both your parental rights and your child’s future.

Contact us today for a free consultation with an attorney.

Understanding Child Custody Laws in Florida

Child custody disputes can arise in many different situations, including divorce, paternity actions, modifications of existing court orders, and disputes between unmarried parents. While every family is unique, Florida courts generally encourage both parents to remain actively involved in their child’s life whenever possible.

When resolving custody matters, courts must balance a variety of factors, including the child’s needs, each parent’s ability to provide care, and the family’s overall circumstances. 

As a result, child custody cases often involve issues such as:

• Determining where the child will primarily live
• Establishing a schedule for parenting time
• Allocating decision-making authority between parents
• Resolving disputes regarding education, healthcare, and other important matters
• Modifying existing custody arrangements when circumstances change

Because custody decisions can have a lasting impact on both parents and children, it is important to understand your rights and responsibilities before entering negotiations or appearing in court.

What Is A Parenting Plan and How Can A Child Custody Attorney Help?

You and your spouse will need to develop a “parenting plan” that will govern your respective time-sharing, custody, and visitation rights once your divorce is final.

In many cases, parents are able to work together – either through collaboration or mediation – to come to terms on a parenting plan. Florida law requires all custody arrangements to serve the best interests of the couple’s children.

With limited exceptions, this generally means spending time with both parents after the divorce.

If you and your spouse are unable to agree on how you will share custody rights and arrange for time-sharing/visitation, then you may need to ask a judge to resolve your differences. While our family law attorneys focus on helping our clients avoid these kinds of disputes, if judicial intervention is necessary, we will not hesitate to protect your rights in court.

Is Time Sharing and Parental Responsibility the Same As Child Custody and Visitation?

State courts and lawmakers have actually moved away from the traditional terms of “custody” and “visitation.” Today, in Florida, we use the terms “time-sharing” and “parental responsibility.”

In traditional terms, there are two types of custody: Physical and Legal.

The first is physical custody. This refers to the time each parent will spend time with the child.

The second is legal custody. This refers to the right to make important life decisions (like where to go to school or medical decisions) on a child’s behalf.

However, these concepts are not clearly distinguished in Florida child custody laws. Time-sharing and parental responsibility broadly define how divorcing spouses will split parental rights and duties in their parenting plan.

How Do Florida Courts Determine the Best Interests of the Child?

In considering time-sharing schedules and division of parental responsibility, the Florida courts focus on protecting the best interests of the children involved.

State law lists a number of factors to be used in evaluating a child’s best interests. However, there are no set rules for when one parent should receive certain rights over the other. An experienced child custody lawyer can help you work through these soft guidelines to ensure the court decision matches the true best interests of the child.

This means that there are often steps parents can take to help secure their desired custody rights. At McMichen, Cinami & Demps, we can help you put yourself in the best position possible to obtain the parenting plan you desire.

The factors the Florida courts consider in evaluating the best interests of a child include things like:

• Each parent’s demonstrated capacity to encourage a close parent-child relationship and honor a time-sharing schedule
• Whether either parent intends to delegate parenting responsibilities to a third party
• Each parent’s ability to put the child’s needs before his or her own
• The parent’s respective living environments and geographic locations
• The parent’s respective physical and mental health conditions
• Each parent’s familiarity with the child’s friends, teachers, doctors, and daily routine
• The child’s preferences, if of sufficient “intelligence, understanding, and experience” to express them
• Any history of domestic violence, neglect, or child abuse
• The parents’ respective parenting duties prior to commencement of the divorce proceedings
• The child’s developmental needs, and each parent’s demonstrated ability to meet those needs

Parenting Plan Modification and Enforcement

Circumstances can change in the months and years following a divorce.

If your time-sharing schedule is no longer working or if you need to alter your parental responsibilities, you might be able to modify your plan. We can help determine if you meet the standards for a modification and help you apply to the court for the modification of your parenting plan.

If your former spouse is not adequately meeting his or her parental responsibilities or is refusing to adhere to your time-sharing arrangement, we can help you seek enforcement as well.

Call Now To Speak With An Orlando Child Custody Lawyer from McMichen, Cinami & Demps

At McMichen, Cinami & Demps, our Orlando divorce lawyers are committed to helping parents protect and enforce their legal rights. If you are preparing for a divorce, or if you need to modify or enforce an existing parenting plan, contact our law office today for a consultation. Let our experienced Orlando child custody lawyers help you through the difficult decisions that need to be made. We are here for you!