Jacksonville Divorce Attorney Blog
If you live in or around Jacksonville Florida, are gay or lesbian, have children, and share parenting responsibilities, it is important to have a Gay or Lesbian Shared Parenting Agreement. Having a written legal document which expresses your intentions and wishes as to raising your child is imperative.
Being a Gay or Lesbian parent in Jacksonville is no longer based on a man-woman, husband-wife model. Courts continue to wrestle with the concept of non-legal parents seeking custody and visitation with children, following divorce, separation, or termination of a relationship. A written agreement which describes both the legal as well as non-legal parent’s role to the child, and outlines custody, visitation and other issues, will give both parents the opportunity to be heard in mediation or court, should a break-up occur.
There is an emerging body of case law addressing custody and visitation rights of the non-legal parent. Keeping in mind the best interest of the child standard, it may be in your families best interest to consult with a Jacksonville Gay and Lesbian Rights Attorney to discuss how a Shared Parenting Agreement can help you.