Tampa Child Custody Attorney
Timesharing & Parenting Plans
When your children are caught in the middle of a custody dispute, no legal matter could feel more urgent. The Tampa child custody attorneys at Khonsari Law Group represent parents throughout Hillsborough County in timesharing disputes, parenting plan negotiations, contested hearings, and post-judgment modifications, fighting for arrangements that protect your relationship with your child and reflect what’s truly best for them.
This isn’t just a legal process. It’s your life as a parent. We fight for it like it is.
Call (727) 269-5300 for a free case review. We serve parents across Tampa, Hillsborough County, and the greater Tampa Bay area.
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What Is Timesharing in Florida, and Why Does It Matter?
In Florida, what most parents call “child custody” is legally called timesharing and parental responsibility, and the difference matters in court. Under Florida Statute 61.13, these two concepts are distinct and are both addressed in your case.
- Timesharing: Refers to the physical schedule, which parent the child is with on specific days, including nights, holidays, and vacations.
- Parental Responsibility: Refers to decision-making authority regarding your child’s education, healthcare, religion, and general welfare.
Getting both of these right from the start shapes your child’s day-to-day life for years. At Khonsari Law Group, we understand the stress of these proceedings intimately; our team’s background includes personal experience with the challenges of navigating family transitions.
This perspective drives our commitment to ensuring every arrangement is specific, legally sound, and built around your family’s actual reality.
How Does a Tampa Court Decide Timesharing?
Tampa family courts decide timesharing based on one overriding standard: the best interests of the child. That phrase isn’t vague, Florida law lists more than 20 specific factors that Hillsborough County judges evaluate in every case.
The most significant factors include each parent’s willingness to support the child’s relationship with the other parent, the ability of each parent to maintain a stable and consistent home environment, each parent’s moral fitness, any history of domestic violence or substance abuse, and each parent’s demonstrated involvement in the child’s schooling, healthcare, and daily routine.
One thing many parents don’t realize: a parent who actively undermines the other parent’s relationship with the child, through interference, manipulation, or gatekeeping, can be penalized in the court’s timesharing determination. Florida courts take parental cooperation seriously. How you behave during a custody dispute matters as much as your history before it.
Can You Get 50/50 Timesharing in Tampa?
Under the 2023 amendment to Florida Statute 61.13, Florida courts start with a rebuttable presumption that equal timesharing (50/50) is in the best interest of the child. However, this is not an absolute rule; either parent can rebut that presumption by presenting evidence that an equal schedule is not appropriate based on the specific facts of the case.
If you want equal timesharing, our job is to build a record showing you are an active, capable, and cooperative parent. If you believe 50/50 is not appropriate due to work schedules, proximity, or other factors, your attorney builds the case to rebut the presumption.
Either way, having experienced legal representation in Hillsborough County courts is essential to shifting the weight of the argument in your favor.
What Is a Florida Parenting Plan, and Do You Need One?
A parenting plan is not optional. Florida law requires one in every case involving minor children, whether you are going through a dissolution of marriage (divorce) or a paternity action (a case between unmarried parents). The parenting plan becomes part of the final court order, and the court must approve it.
A well-drafted parenting plan addresses:
- The complete time-sharing schedule, including weekdays, weekends, holidays, school breaks, and summers
- Which parent handles school enrollment, medical appointments, and extracurricular decisions
- How parents will communicate about the child’s needs and daily logistics
- What happens if one parent needs to travel or requests a schedule change
- The process for resolving future disagreements
A vague parenting plan is a recipe for conflict. Families return to court year after year because an agreement left critical details unresolved. An experienced attorney builds your plan for your family’s specific schedule, geography, and situation, not a generic form that creates more problems than it solves.
Your parenting plan is one of the most important documents you’ll ever sign. Don’t leave it to chance. Call Khonsari Law Group at (727) 269-5300 or contact us online today for a free consultation. We serve parents across Tampa and Hillsborough County.
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When Do You Need a Tampa Child Custody Attorney?
You need a Tampa child custody attorney any time the outcome could affect how much time you spend with your child, and that means now, before any agreements are signed or positions become entrenched in court.
New Divorces and Separations: Getting the parenting plan right from the beginning is critical. Florida courts are reluctant to modify orders later unless there has been a substantial and material change in circumstances. You have one opportunity to set the right foundation. Use it.
Parenting Plan Modifications: Life changes. If a parent has relocated, remarried, lost a job, or significantly changed their role in the child’s life, you may have grounds to request a modification. Florida’s legal standard is high; a modification requires showing circumstances that are substantial and material, so having legal counsel to evaluate your situation before filing is essential.
Why Tampa Parents Choose Khonsari Law Group
Rohom Khonsari, the firm’s founder, is a former Assistant State Attorney. That background, trained to read cases, evaluate evidence, and argue in court, shapes how we build your family law case. We don’t apply templates; we learn the specifics of your family dynamics to provide a strategy that fits your unique needs.
Khonsari Law Group has been recognized by media outlets including ABC Action News and Bay News 9, and has received coverage in the Tampa Bay Business Journal and the Tampa Bay Times. Our firm holds a BBB A+ Rating and is an Avvo Client Choice Winner.
This reputation, combined with our experience in the courtroom, allows us to offer Tampa parents a defense that combines the sharp tactical approach of a former prosecutor with the deep empathy required for family law.
We approach every case with integrity, treating your family’s future with the gravity it deserves; compassion, recognizing the emotional toll of custody disputes; and the trust that comes from proven courtroom results.
Ask Khonsari Law Group
Do I need a Tampa child custody attorney even if my co-parent and I agree on everything?
Yes — and here’s why. Even when both parents are cooperative, an agreement drafted without legal review is often too vague to hold up when circumstances change. An attorney ensures your parenting plan is specific enough to prevent future disputes, legally compliant with Florida requirements, and structured in a way the court will actually approve. Getting it right the first time costs far less than returning to court to fix it later.
How long does a child custody case typically take in Tampa?
An uncontested parenting plan, where both parents agree, can be finalized in a few weeks once paperwork is complete. A contested timesharing case in Hillsborough County that requires a hearing or trial can take anywhere from several months to over a year, depending on the complexity and the court’s docket. The more organized your case going in, the faster the process tends to move.
What happens if my co-parent wants to move out of Tampa with our child?
Florida law requires the relocating parent to provide written notice at least 60 days before the planned move, and if the other parent objects, a petition for relocation must be filed with the court. These cases are time-sensitive and legally complex. If you’ve received a relocation notice, or are considering a move, contact us immediately. Waiting can cost you your position.
Can grandparents or other relatives seek timesharing rights in Florida?
Florida law does allow grandparents and certain family members to petition for visitation rights under specific circumstances, for example, when the child’s parents are divorced, when a parent has died, or when a parent has been convicted of certain crimes. These cases carry a high legal bar and must navigate the constitutional rights of the parents.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if the other parent refuses to follow the court-ordered timesharing schedule?
If your co-parent is consistently violating a court-approved parenting plan, skipping pickups, withholding the child, or unilaterally changing the schedule, you have legal recourse. An attorney can file a motion for enforcement or contempt of court in Hillsborough County. If the court finds a willful violation, it can order make-up timesharing, require the offending parent to pay your attorney’s fees, and impose other sanctions.
What counts as a “substantial change in circumstances” to modify a timesharing order in Florida?
Florida courts set a high bar for modification: the change must be substantial and material relative to the original order. Examples that have qualified include a parent relocating to another county or state, a significant change in the child’s school or medical needs, one parent becoming unable to provide a stable home, a parent’s remarriage that significantly changes the household, or evidence of domestic violence or substance abuse that wasn’t present before. Minor inconveniences or disagreements do not qualify.
Do Tampa courts treat fathers and mothers differently in timesharing decisions?
No. Florida law is gender-neutral, courts evaluate both parents under the same factors and apply the same best-interests standard regardless of gender. A parent’s sex is not a factor the court may consider in timesharing decisions. What courts look at is each parent’s demonstrated involvement, stability, and willingness to support the child’s relationship with the other parent.
Can I address child custody issues without being married to the other parent?
Yes. Unmarried parents in Florida address timesharing through a paternity action, a legal proceeding separate from divorce that establishes the father’s legal rights and responsibilities. Once paternity is established, the court enters a parenting plan and timesharing schedule, and can also address child support.
Talk to a Tampa Child Custody Lawyer at Khonsari Law Group
Your child deserves a stable, predictable arrangement, and so do you. The Tampa child custody attorneys at Khonsari Law Group are ready to protect your parental rights and fight for the outcome your family needs.
Call (727) 269-5300 or contact us online today for a free case review. We serve parents throughout Tampa, Hillsborough County, St. Petersburg, and the greater Tampa Bay area.
Schedule a Free Initial Consultation