Florida Parenting Law Changes Again 10/1/09 – Norman D. Levin, Esquire

The Florida Legislature has again changed Florida Parenting laws effective October 1, 2009 but many of these changes may affect cases going on currently. This blog features a brief survey of the types of changes that are coming. The law changes can be found in SB 904 as amended on the floor. This will be the ER version and can be found at www.flsenate.gov . Of course everything in this blog assumes the Governor will sign the bill into law. Section 9 provides that the act takes effect 10/1/09. The bill effects the following legal areas: 1. Parenting Plan Additions and Revisions 2. Requiring Parenting Plans to have provisions for the address to be used for school-boundary determination and Registration 3. Who can make Parenting Plan Evaluations 4. Creation of a statute governing Parenting Coordinators 5. Setting Required qualifications for Parenting Coordinators 6. Setting Standards required for modification of parenting plans and Requiring a showing of a substantial, material change in circumstances since the prior order and showing that change is in the child’s best interest 7. Adding the rebuttable presumption of detriment to minor children for 1st degree misdemeanor convictions of domestic violence 8. Revising the law and procedures for relocations and providing for quick hearings and trials

Future blogs will cover these items individually in more detail. Norman D. Levin, Esquire The Family Law Firm Longwood, FL, 407-834-9494 ndlevin@helpisontheway.cc