In Florida it is rare for either parent to get sole parental responsibility and custody. However, it is not impossible. In order for a court to grant full custody to either parent, the court must determine that shared parental responsibility would be harmful to the children and not in their best interests.

You must file a response called an "Answer" within 20 days after being served with legal papers and a summons. The Answers and supporting documents for the most common Family Division proceedings can be obtained on the Florida Courts website at .flcourts.gov.

A motion for temporary custody relief asks the judge to award you overnight timesharing with your children and to enter an enforceable court order ensuring your rights. Once a timesharing schedule is made, child support arrearages will likely stop accruing or be reduced to a reasonable amount.

The process typically happens via documents rather than court appearances, and the court usually needs at least a year to make a decision. If more than 30 days have passed since an order was issued, parents have two options: a motion to set aside a judgment, or a motion for relief of judgment.

The judge can consider all relevant circumstances when determining custody. For instance, the judge can consider the child's relationship with both parents, any child's special needs, a history of domestic violence, and the child's preference.

Florida abandoned the traditional terms of custody in favor of parental responsibility and time-sharing. Florida's custody laws favor both parents remaining active in their children's lives. Therefore, courts prefer to see parenting plans and time-sharing plans that provide equal access for the child with each parent.

Emergency custody orders in Florida can be granted when there's reason to believe that a child is being abused, in imminent physical danger, or potentially at risk of being removed from the state.