Hiring a Child Custody Lawyer in Boca Raton: What to Expect and What to Bring

Quick Summary: A child custody lawyer in Boca Raton helps you work through how Florida decides parental responsibility and time-sharing, and builds a parenting plan around your child's needs. Florida law now starts from a rebuttable presumption that equal time-sharing is in a child's best interests, and the court weighs a long list of factors under Florida Statute § 61.13. The more organized you are before your first meeting, the more useful that conversation will be. This guide explains what to expect and what to bring.

If you're facing a custody question in Palm Beach County, you're probably worried about your children first and the legal process second. That's normal. The good news is that a first meeting with a child custody lawyer in Boca Raton is mostly about listening: your lawyer needs to understand your family before anyone can talk about options. Our child custody and timesharing practice handles these matters for parents across Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Palm Beach County.

What does a child custody lawyer in Boca Raton actually handle?

Florida doesn't use the word "custody" in its statutes the way many people expect. Instead, the law talks about parental responsibility (who makes major decisions for the child) and time-sharing (the schedule of when the child is with each parent). Both are set out in a parenting plan.

Under Florida Statute § 61.13(2)(b), a court-approved parenting plan must, at a minimum, describe how the parents will share the daily tasks of raising the child, include the time-sharing schedule, say who is responsible for health care and school matters, describe how the parents will communicate with the child, and designate exchange locations unless both parents agree otherwise in writing.

A custody lawyer helps you shape each of those pieces, whether you're starting a new case, responding to one, or asking to change an existing order. In Palm Beach County, family cases are heard in the 15th Judicial Circuit. Custody issues often come up alongside a divorce; if that's your situation, our Boca Raton divorce attorney page explains how the two fit together.

How do Florida courts decide parental responsibility and time-sharing?

Florida starts from two presumptions, then looks closely at the individual child.

Shared parental responsibility. Under § 61.13(2)(c), the court must order that parental responsibility be shared by both parents unless it finds that shared responsibility would be detrimental to the child. Evidence of domestic violence, as defined in § 741.28, is one of the things the court considers in deciding detriment.

Equal time-sharing as a starting point. Since a 2023 amendment to § 61.13, Florida law presumes that equal time-sharing is in a child's best interests. The presumption is rebuttable: a parent who disagrees must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that equal time-sharing is not in the child's best interests. Unless the parents agree on a schedule and the court approves it, the court must evaluate the statutory factors and make written findings.

The best-interest factors. Section 61.13(3) lists factors the court weighs, including:

• Each parent's demonstrated capacity to encourage a close and continuing relationship between the child and the other parent, and to honor the time-sharing schedule
• How long the child has lived in a stable, satisfactory environment, and the value of continuity
• The geographic viability of the parenting plan, especially for school-age children
• The moral fitness and the mental and physical health of the parents
• The child's home, school and community record
• The reasonable preference of the child, if the court finds the child mature enough to express one
• Each parent's knowledge of the child's circumstances, such as friends, teachers and medical providers
• Evidence of domestic violence, sexual violence, child abuse, abandonment or neglect

No single factor decides a case. That's why the details you bring to your lawyer matter.

What should you expect at your first meeting?

Expect questions, not a verdict. A careful custody lawyer will want to understand your family before discussing strategy. You'll likely be asked about:

• Your children's ages, schools, routines and any special needs
• The current living arrangement and how parenting time works today
• Any existing court orders, parenting plans or injunctions
• How you and the other parent communicate
• Your work schedule and support system
• Your concerns, and what a workable schedule would look like for your children

From there, your lawyer can explain the paths available, such as reaching an agreed parenting plan for the court to approve or asking the court to decide contested issues. Nobody can promise a particular result. What a lawyer can do is help you understand how the factors may apply to your facts and what evidence will matter.

What should you bring to a child custody consultation?

Bring copies, not originals, and organize them by topic. Helpful documents include:

• Existing orders: any parenting plan, time-sharing order, or prior final judgment, plus any injunction
• Children's information: school records, report cards, and the names of teachers, doctors and counselors
• A calendar: a realistic picture of who has handled school drop-offs, appointments and activities in recent months
• Communications: relevant texts, emails or co-parenting app messages, kept in context
• Work and schedule details: your hours, travel and any upcoming changes
• Financial information: recent pay stubs and tax returns, since child support in Florida is calculated under the guidelines in § 61.30
• Your questions: a written list, so nothing gets missed

If you and the other parent were never married, paternity questions may need to be addressed as well. Our page on establishing paternity in Florida explains that process.

Florida Courts also publishes the Supreme Court-approved parenting plan forms (Form 12.995). Looking through them before your meeting can help you think about the details a plan has to cover.

What questions should you ask a custody lawyer?

A first consultation is also your chance to decide whether the lawyer is the right fit. Consider asking:

• How do you see the statutory factors applying to my situation?
• What information would strengthen or weaken my position?
• Is an agreed parenting plan realistic here, and what would happen if we can't agree?
• How will you communicate with me, and who else on your team will work on my case?
• What should I do, and avoid doing, while the case is pending?

What happens if the parenting plan needs to change later?

Children grow, schools change and jobs move. When circumstances change, a parenting plan can sometimes be modified. If you already have an order and think it no longer works, our page on modifying a court order is a good place to start. If you're planning to move out of the area with your child, relocation rules apply, so speak with a lawyer before making plans.

Frequently asked questions about hiring a child custody lawyer in Boca Raton

Talk With Our Team About Your Family

Every family is different, and the best next step is a conversation about yours. Schedule a confidential consultation with Yaffa Family Law Group to talk through your situation, your concerns and your options.

Disclaimer (general information): This article provides general information about Florida family law and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case depends on its own facts, and the law can change. Consult a Florida family law attorney about your situation.

Cited Sources

• Florida Statute § 61.13, Support of children; parenting and time-sharing; powers of court
• Florida Statute § 61.30, Child support guidelines
• Florida Statute § 741.28, Domestic violence definitions
• Florida Courts, Parenting Plan Forms 12.995(a)–(c)