Is It Possible To Co-Parent After Florida Domestic Violence?
In many cases involving domestic violence, the allegedly abusive parent may be restricted from visiting with their children until the case has been settled – but if they have been convicted, a court may deem it in the child or children’s best interest to not have contact with that parent. Conversely, the court may allow co-parenting under certain circumstances. If this has occurred in your case, it is possible – but the best interests of your children must always come first.
The Best Interests Of The Child
Above all else, Florida civil courts are required to put the best interests of the child at the forefront of any determination, and it has been established that in general, children benefit from having both parents in their lives. While it may be profoundly distasteful to the parent who has allegedly been abused, if not terrifying, it is not out of the realm of possibility for a court to mandate co-parenting between an alleged abuser and their victim.
Family courts in Florida are required to consider domestic violence as a factor when making parenting time determinations, but it is only one of the factors, and as one might imagine, every domestic violence case is different. The court may also believe that it can adequately protect the children and alleged victim from further abuse by utilizing measures that protect both parents and children from further trouble.
A ‘Protective Parenting Plan’
While it is entirely understandable that an alleged victim of domestic violence would not want to deal with their alleged abuser, a court ordering co-parenting is only requiring that the two people work together for their children’s benefit. This can be done more often than one might think, and in some cases, the court can assist in creating a ‘protective’ parenting plan, using methods to allow children to see their parent without placing them in danger.
One of the most common ways this is achieved is via supervised visitation and/or exchanges. With a neutral observer or legal professional observing the interactions of parent and child, they can act to protect the children if things go badly. Another way to give children safe interaction with a potentially abusive parent is via communication applications, similar to the old AOL Instant Messenger or modern text messages. These applications allow for third party observation, but also for visitation.
Contact A West Palm Beach Domestic Violence Attorney
The idea of working with one’s alleged abuser can be an extremely distasteful event, but it can be done, for the sake of one’s children. If you have questions or concerns about trying to parent after domestic violence, a West Palm Beach criminal defense attorney from Perlet & Shiner, P.A. can help you determine where to go from here. Contact our office today at (561) 721-0552 to speak to an attorney.
