Florida’s laws have seemingly always stayed in a state of change with alimony and child custody laws shifting over the last few years. An Oct. 27 report states that a senator in Florida has suggested a law that would eliminate lifetime alimony payments, which could leave some people without the money they need to live their lives following divorce, depending on the circumstances.
Besides that change, the senator has also suggested that divorcing parents should receive equal visitation time with their children. That’s not just equitable time, which is fair to the child, but equal time, splitting the child’s time 50-50. If this is suggested to you, your attorney can explain why it’s so detrimental to your children, but these are just a few of the potential issues.
No other state in the country requires parents to share equal time with their child. It can be difficult for children to split time equally, because they need to go to school and must have some semblance of regularity in their lives.
Children have special developmental needs that require schedules to be maintained over time. Changing schedules can be extremely difficult for them, especially at a young age. They need to live in a certain home environment and be protected in that manner. If they have to move too much, they may not form the attachments they need to make, and they won’t understand why they are moving so much. Unfortunately, if the law goes through, it would go against what many child psychologists claim is in the best interest of children.
Source: Florida Politics, “Retired Judge Says Tom Lee’s Alimony Legislation Sets “Dangerous” Precedent If Enacted,” Mitch Perry, Oct. 27, 2015
