Millions of Us citizens have grown up in households with a stage-parent. No matter whether a stepmother or stepfather, it is not unheard of for children to grow to be just as connected to a phase-dad or mum as to the corresponding organic mum or dad. In some conditions little ones may only barely know that biological father or mother. Despite this kind of a close bond, if the child’s mother or father and phase-mother or father divorce, it can be complicated for the move-parent to get lawful visitation or custody rights.
Beneath Florida law, organic moms and dads have initial priority in youngster custody concerns. Only less than excellent situations does the court docket ordinarily grant visitation or custody rights to stage-mothers and fathers. If the child’s principal caregiver believes that protecting make contact with with the stage-parent is in the child’s finest pursuits, it is doable for the move-mum or dad to have official visitation rights. If the courtroom believes this might infringe on the legal rights of the other dad or mum, on the other hand, the move-guardian could be excluded.
Must a organic father or mother be unfit to treatment for a boy or girl–for case in point, if a guardian has a prison record–granting a stage-dad or mum visitation legal rights at the exclusion of the child’s biological mum or dad is considerably more likely. It is also probable for that biological parent to concede visitation rights to the action-guardian, once again, believing it to be in the kid’s very best interests.
Though several divorced couples may maintain an casual visitation arrangement with a stage-dad or mum, this does not give the move-mother or father specific authorized rights that may possibly grow to be related in emergencies. In some instances, the phase-father or mother could adopt the youngster, but only if the other biological father or mother is deceased, is legally considered to be an unfit dad or mum, or if he or she presents custody to the stage-parent. Getting the correct arrangement for you will count seriously on your one of a kind circumstances.
If you and your wife or husband are looking at a divorce, and 1 of you is a move-father or mother who is quite shut to your stepchildren, it may be a challenge to gain custody rights soon after a divorce. With the assistance of a West Palm Beach divorce lawyer, even so, you might be in a position to enable your youngsters sustain healthier and supportive relationships next a divorce.