Can You Relocate With Your Children?
If one parent makes the decision to move to a new location with the children, they face a high burden. If the move will limit the other parent’s access to the child, the moving parent must first obtain permission to relocate. If a parent moves without the other parent’s consent or a court order, a child pick-up order may be issued with an order to return the child to the state of Florida.
Relocation of a child is a niche field in Florida law. Choose a lawyer knowledgeable of the nuances of Florida’s relocation law. The Fort Lauderdale Law Office of Rebekah Brown-Wiseman, P.A., recently had success litigating petitions for relocation and modification of child custody enabling the client to move with the child out of the country.
Changes In The Law
On October 1, Florida law regarding relocation of children changed significantly. Today, the law requires Florida judges to consider much more detailed information, including:
- The nature, quality, extent of involvement, and duration of the child’s relationship with the parents and other significant persons in the child’s life.
- The age and developmental stage of the child.
- The needs of the child.
- The likely impact the relocation will have on the child’s physical, educational, and emotional development.
- The feasibility of preserving the relationship between the nonrelocating parent and the likelihood of compliance with the substitute arrangements by the relocating parent.
- The child’s preference, taking into consideration the age and maturity of the child.
- Whether the relocation will enhance the child’s general quality of life.
- The reasons for each parent seeking or opposing the relocation.
- The current employment and economic circumstances of each parent.
Specific Knowledge Yields Compelling Evidence
With experience as a child therapist and her master’s degree in social work with a concentration in children and families, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology, attorney Rebekah Brown-Wiseman is able to draw upon her extensive knowledge of child development to provide compelling evidence in child custody relocation cases. This prior experience in social work is key to dealing with the relocation factors mentioned above.
The parent trying to move with the child or children must comply with Florida law’s specific requirements regarding notice to the nonmoving parent. The responding party must respond according to Florida Rules within 20 days in order to protect his or her rights to stop the relocation.
To schedule an initial consultation with child custody and relocation lawyer Rebekah Brown-Wiseman, call 954-563-1331 or contact her by email. The Law Office of Rebekah Brown-Wiseman, P.A., is based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and represents clients throughout Broward County and Palm Beach County.