When a parent subject to a Florida time-sharing order wants to move more than fifty miles from their current residence, Florida's relocation statute requires them to either obtain the other parent's written consent or seek court approval. The relocating parent bears the burden of demonstrating that the move is in the child's best interests, taking into account factors such as the reasons for the relocation, the impact on the child's relationship with the remaining parent, and whether a revised time-sharing schedule can adequately preserve that relationship. Fort Lauderdale courts take these cases seriously, and parents who move without following the required process can face sanctions including a reversal of the relocation.
Parents opposing a relocation can file a written objection and request a hearing. At the hearing, the court evaluates the competing interests and may deny the relocation or approve it with a modified time-sharing arrangement depending on the circumstances. The outcome turns heavily on the evidence each side presents. A child custody lawyer in Fort Lauderdale handling a relocation dispute prepares clients to address the specific statutory factors and to counter the other parent's arguments with concrete evidence rather than general objections.
