Child Custody Attorney in Sarasota

Protecting the Best Interests of Children in Sarasota County ​

At Boeller Law, P.A., our Venice child custody attorneys have helped many families through divorce. When drafting time-sharing agreements, Attorney Sara Sawyer Boeller relies on her counseling, mental health education, and experience as a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator. Our firm always considers our client's wishes and preferences when representing them in court. We believe our clients are the captains of their ships, and we are here to steer them in the right direction and guide them through the often difficult aspects of child custody.

Our child custody attorneys provide you with:

• Experienced Legal Professional
• Personalized & Effective Legal Solutions
• Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator
• Exceptional Track Record
• Safe & Healthy Environment

Types of Child Custody in Florida

Family law cases often become highly emotional and challenging when deciding who will have child custody when filing for divorce. In the state of Florida, a court can grant two kinds of child custody:

1. When sole custody is granted, the court makes one parent responsible for the child's welfare and is authorized to make decisions about the child's daily life.
2. When joint custody is awarded, the court grants both parents legal and physical custody so that the child can spend significant amounts of time with both parents.

Courts often grant parents shared custody to allow parents and children to spend quality time together and continue building strong relationships. A time-sharing agreement is made to avoid conflicts and ensure that the child spends time with both parents.

Contact Boeller Law, P.A. today at (941) 315-8598 or contact us online to schedule a meeting with our child custody lawyer in Sarasota!

Legal Custody vs. Physical Custody

Legal custody is the right to decide your child's welfare and upbringing. This can include decisions about religion, education, healthcare, and more. Physical custody refers to which parent the child lives with. This means that if you have sole physical custody, your child lives with you and their other parent only has visitation rights.

Custody agreements can include any combination of joint or sole physical and legal custody. In Florida, courts often prefer granting joint custody so that the child can be raised by both parents, as long as that is in the child's best interest.

Factors Courts Consider in Custody Decisions

During a custody hearing, a judge will determine custody based on the child's best interest. Courts may consider any relevant factors when making this determination, though they will give more consideration to issues that impact your child’s health and safety. Some such issues include:

• Which parent is more likely to take care of the daily emotional and physical needs of the child
• Which parent is more likely to maintain a stable and nurturing relationship with the child
• Which parent is more likely to help foster the relationship between the child and their other parent

You must seek counsel from an experienced child custody attorney who can help protect your relationship with your child.