Family Support in a FLorida Divorce

The issue of a Courts’ determination on Family support obligations comes in two forms: child support and spousal support (a/k/a alimony). Child support payments are now largely set by state law; however, deviation from those standards are not uncommon. Also, child support orders may depend on the ordered time-sharing arrangements.

In contrast, spousal support largely depends on the facts and circumstances of each particular couple. In many cases, attempts at predicting a court’s ultimate support decision is often a waste of time. Attorneys are often in the position of convincing the other side that “our version” is the most likely outcome.

Aside from the distribution of wealth, the other main function of the divorce court is to set child custody and visitation schedules. This too is anything but predictable. While courts often try to make their decision based on a set of factors said to promote the “best interests” of the child, these decisions can vary from case to case and court to court. After all, human judges, who are influenced by their own beliefs, opinions and values, apply these factors to each case. Further, judges usually see and hear only the worst of people during heated parental relations proceedings. Based on their limited view into the parents’ lives, a divorce court may not always make an ideal decision when it comes to parental control and time-sharing. Negotiation and settlement are important options to use when dealing with Family Law. Everyone, especially children, will benefit by a cooperative time-sharing arrangement