Applying Traditional Custody Terminology or Foreign Custody Determinations to Florida Law
Shared Custody:
A shared custody arrangement elsewhere is similar to a parenting plan under Florida law that includes shared parental decision making and a shared time-sharing or visitation schedule.
Full Custody or Sole Custody:
A full or sole custody arrangement elsewhere is similar to a parenting plan under Florida law that includes sole parental decision making, where only one parent makes decisions on behalf of the children, and there is limited or no time-sharing for the non-custodial parent.
In some circumstances, sole custody, sole decision making, and limited or no time-sharing may be awarded, but as of July 2023, there is a rebuttable presumption that equal time-sharing is in the best interests of the children at issue.
For more information about Divorce with Children in Florida, please click here.
Foreign Custody, International Custody, Kidnapping, and the Hague Abduction Convention
If you are seeking to domesticate a foreign order or foreign judgment in Florida, have concerns about parental kidnapping, international child abduction, or the Hague Abduction Convention, you should contact an experienced family law attorney to discuss your circumstances. Of course, if you are concerned about kidnapping or child abduction you should contact the police and other relevant authorities.
Revised: Aug 2023