What does shared parental responsibility mean?
“Shared parental responsibility,” as defined by Florida law, means a court-ordered relationship in which both parents retain full parental rights and responsibilities with respect to their child, and in which both parents must confer with each other so that major decisions affecting the welfare of their child will be determined jointly. In Florida, “shared parental responsibility” will always be ordered unless it would be detrimental to the best interests of the child. In that case, “sole parental responsibility” will be ordered, which means that one parent makes decisions regarding the minor child. In ordering “shared parental responsibility,” the court may consider the expressed desires of the parents and may grant to one parent the ultimate responsibility over specific aspects of the child’s welfare, or may divide those responsibilities between the parents based on the best interests of the child. Areas of responsibility may include primary residency, education, medical and dental c
