This article is being written to conclude and recap my series on obtaining an emergency child custody order in the state of Florida. I felt it was important to write on this topic as, for understandable reasons, many parents do not know how to proceed when their son or daughter is in a dangerous situation. The goal of my last several articles has been to provide information which will help people navigate through the problem. It has also been my goal to provide information which will assist with the selection of a family law attorney. If you or a loved one are in need of assistance then contact my office today to speak with a Melbourne lawyer.
I have discussed multiple topics over my recent articles. Issues which I have analyzed include:
- Avoiding “self help” in emergency custody situation
- Why parents should contact an attorney before calling DCF
- Gaining a temporary emergency custody order
- Making an emergency custody order permanent
I felt it was important to address these topics for a number of reasons. First, many parents often take the law into their own hands when their child is in danger. While the rationale behind this is understandable, such conduct is not permitted under our legal system. Engaging in such can, at the end of the day, hurt one’s custody case. If your child is in immediate danger then it is important to call the police. It is also important to speak with counsel as soon as possible. Second, there are few, if any, situations where it would be advisable to contact DCF before contacting counsel. Making false claims to DCF can, again, result in one’s time share actually being reduced. Third, emergency proceedings can move forward very quickly. The Court may actually issue a temporary order within a few days of an initial Motion being filed. Finally, knowing what to expect from the litigation process is important to ensuring that the process goes smoothly.
Another point I stressed throughout these articles is the need to speak with an attorney as soon as possible. The longer you wait to take legal action then the less likely the Judge will typically be to consider the matter an emergency. As a Melbourne child custody lawyer, I am familiar with the handling of such matters. If you or a loved one are in need of assistance then contact my office today to schedule an initial consultation. I also serve the cities of Titusville, Cocoa, Palm Bay, Grant, Valkaria, and Rockledge, as well as in the Indian River County areas of Fellsmere, Sebastian, Vero Beach, Indian River Shores, and Orchid.