What Happens to a Timesharing Schedule in a Natural Disaster?

One of the most important aspects of a divorce settlement in when Florida when minor children are involved is the creation of a timesharing schedule. This schedule dictates when the child will spend time with each parent and for how long. It can be tailored to your family’s unique situation and include specifics for weekdays, weekends, holidays, and other special occasions. But what happens when a natural disaster or other emergency impacts your timesharing schedule? Florida is prone to hurricanes and other events that may make it impossible to adhere to your timesharing agreement. At the law office of Blair H. Chan, III in Tampa, we can help answer all of the questions you might have about child timeshare agreements in a divorce.

What Your Timesharing Agreement Should Include

In your parenting plan and tmeshare agreement, you should have provisions for what to do in the case of a natural disaster or other emergency that prevents you or your former spouse from complying with the timeshare agreement. You can include language that states that when it is in the child’s best interests to keep them safe, you can divert from the timesharing agreement. This is particularly the case when an emergency requires you to shelter in place or evacuate.

Your parenting plan should also include provisions for communication between parents if a situation should arise when you need to deviate from the timesharing schedule. This ensures that both parents are aware of the situation and that one parent does not put themselves in danger to make sure that their child is safe. You can even include a plan in your agreement that states what steps you would take with your child in an emergency if communication gets disrupted, so that the other parent knows where to go or what to do.

If Disaster Strikes Without These Provisions

If a natural disaster like a hurricane or other emergency hits and you do not have these provisions in your timesharing agreement, the most important thing at the moment is to ensure the safety of you and your child. Try your best to communicate the situation with the other parent and meet up with your child when it becomes safe to do so. Once the emergency has subsided, talk to an experienced family law attorney about making modifications to your existing parenting plan that includes contingencies for this type of situation so that you know exactly what to expect if disaster strikes.

Call the Office or Contact Us Today

Natural disasters and other emergencies are high stress, emotional experiences and the last thing you want to be worrying about in that situation is the state of your parenting plan. For legal advice on your timesharing agreement in the area, call the office or contact the Tampa family lawyers today at the law office of Blair H. Chan, III. Schedule an initial consultation of your case with a highly qualified Florida family law attorney now.

resource:

https://www.flcourts.org/content/download/403367/3458536/995a.pdf