Parkland Parental Relocation Lawyer
Williams & Varsegi, LLC represents parents in Parkland and across Broward and Palm Beach County who are either planning a move with their children or trying to stop the other parent from taking them somewhere far away. The firm practices only divorce and family law, and relocation disputes sit at the point where parenting plans, time-sharing, and child support all collide.
A Parkland parental relocation lawyer deals with a narrower question than most custody lawyers do: not who the children live with, but whether an existing arrangement can be rewritten because one household wants to be far from the other. In Florida, that question has its own statute, its own deadlines, and its own burden of proof. Parents who treat it like an ordinary schedule change often lose ground in the first few weeks.
Whether you are the parent who wants to leave for a job, family support, or a fresh start, or the parent being left behind, what happens in the first twenty days after a relocation petition is served can shape everything that follows.
What Counts as a Relocation Under Florida Law
Not every move triggers the relocation statute. Under section 61.13001, a relocation means a change in the principal residence of a parent that puts it at least 50 miles from where that parent lived when the case began or the last order was entered, and that lasts at least 60 consecutive days. Temporary absences for vacation, a child’s schooling, or medical treatment do not count.
That definition matters for families in Parkland. A move across Broward County, or from Parkland to Boca Raton or Delray Beach, usually falls under the 50-mile line, which means it is handled as an ordinary time-sharing question rather than a relocation case. A move to Orlando, Tampa, Atlanta, or New York clearly crosses it. The gray zone is the move that lands near the line, where measuring the distance accurately can decide which set of rules applies.
The statute also applies differently depending on whether a parenting plan already exists. Where one is in place, the relocating parent generally needs either a written agreement signed by the other parent or a court order before the move happens. Moving first and asking later is one of the fastest ways to damage your credibility with a judge.
Why Choose Williams & Varsegi, LLC for a Parkland Relocation Dispute
Williams & Varsegi, LLC is a boutique firm that practices exclusively in divorce and family law, with over twenty years of experience serving clients in Parkland, Coral Springs, Boca Raton, Delray Beach, and the rest of Palm Beach and Broward County. Emerald Williams, Lawyer, and Katie lead the work, and clients deal directly with experienced attorneys who know their file rather than being passed down a chain.
Relocation cases are won on preparation. The attorneys are skilled negotiators and experienced litigators with extensive courtroom experience, which matters because these cases move on a compressed court calendar and frequently end in a contested hearing. The firm handles matters ranging from high-conflict, high-net worth disputes to simpler agreements, and it brings in forensic accountants and other experts when a move changes the financial picture for both households.
Client reviews of the firm repeatedly describe responsiveness and a process that felt manageable. One client credited Katie with making a multi-year case smooth and less anxious, and another noted that Emerald kept every promise she made at the first consultation. The firm carries a 5-Star Rating from its clients. In a relocation dispute, where answers are needed within days, that kind of accessibility is practical, not cosmetic.
Issues That Come Up in Parkland Relocation Cases
- Agreed Relocations: When both parents sign off in writing on the move and a revised time-sharing schedule, the court can ratify it. The agreement still has to address transportation, who pays for it, and how the children keep a real relationship with the other parent.
- Contested Petitions to Relocate: When the other parent objects, the relocating parent carries the burden of showing the move is in the child’s best interest. The court looks at the child’s ties to school, family, and community, the reason for the move, and whether the proposed schedule is realistic.
- Moves Made Without Permission: A parent who relocates in violation of a parenting plan risks contempt, an order to return, and a court that views every later request with suspicion.
- Long-Distance Time-Sharing Schedules: When a move is approved, the schedule usually shifts to extended summer blocks, alternating holidays, and travel logistics. Drafting these provisions precisely prevents years of disputes.
- Child Support Recalculation: A relocation changes overnights and travel costs, which affects the guideline calculation. A parent who keeps at least 20 percent of overnights, roughly 73 a year, receives a time-sharing adjustment, so schedule changes have direct dollar consequences.
- Relocation Tied to Divorce: A parent who wants to leave Florida while a divorce is still pending faces additional scrutiny, since no parenting plan has been finalized and the court is deciding the baseline arrangement at the same time.
- Parents With Career-Driven Moves: Physicians, federal employees, and police and fire personnel sometimes face transfers or opportunities elsewhere. The firm regularly handles divorces involving these professions and understands how assignments and benefits intersect with parenting plans.
- Modifying an Existing Plan After a Move: A parent who relocated years ago may later need to change time-sharing, which requires showing a substantial and material change in circumstances.
What to Do Right Now: Deadlines, Filings, and Mistakes to Avoid
If you are the parent who wants to move, do not pack, enroll the children in a new school, or sign a lease until the legal path is settled. The petition to relocate must be filed with the court and served, and it has to state the proposed new address, the date of the move, the reason for it, and a proposed revised schedule. Gather the evidence that supports your reason: a job offer in writing, housing details, school information, and a realistic description of how the other parent will stay involved.
If you are the parent who has been served, the clock is short. A written objection must be filed with the court and served on the other side within 20 days after you receive the petition. Miss that window and the court may treat the relocation as unopposed, which can end the case before you have made your argument. Call a lawyer the day the papers arrive, not at the end of the second week.
Family cases arising from Parkland are heard in the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, which covers Broward County exclusively, and filings go through the Broward Clerk’s Family Division. Where a parent lives in Palm Beach County, the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit and its family court handle the matter instead, including through the South County Courthouse in Delray Beach. Which court has jurisdiction depends on where the existing case sits, so confirm that before filing anything.
The statute sets a fast calendar. When a parent asks for temporary permission to relocate pending the case, a hearing is to be held within 30 days of the motion, and a nonjury trial is to occur within 90 days of the notice, absent good cause for delay. That means you will be preparing testimony, exhibits, and financial documents almost immediately.
The most common mistakes are predictable. Parents move first and litigate later. They object informally by text message instead of filing the written response. They describe the other parent in hostile terms rather than showing a plan that preserves the relationship. And they underestimate how closely a judge examines the motive behind a move. Keep communications civil, keep records of every exchange, and let your lawyer handle the legal filings.
How Judges Decide a Contested Relocation
Florida law sets out the factors a court weighs in deciding whether to permit a relocation. The court looks at the child’s relationship with each parent and with siblings and extended family, the child’s age and developmental needs, the feasibility of preserving the other parent’s relationship through a modified schedule, and the child’s preference when old enough to express a meaningful one. It examines whether the move is sought in good faith and whether the objecting parent’s opposition is genuine or tactical.
Economic reasons carry real weight, but they are not decisive. A better salary or lower cost of living helps, but the court asks whether the benefit to the child outweighs the loss of regular contact with the other parent. A parent who has been the primary caregiver and has a concrete, well-documented plan is in a stronger position than one who is leaving for vague reasons.
Florida’s rebuttable presumption in favor of equal time-sharing also shapes these disputes. Where parents have shared time roughly equally, a long-distance move effectively ends that arrangement, so the court scrutinizes it closely. Where one parent has had far less time, a relocation request may be easier to grant, though the other parent can still contest it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Parental Relocation in Florida
How far can I move with my child without court approval?
The relocation statute applies to moves of at least 50 miles that last at least 60 consecutive days. Moves shorter than that distance are not treated as relocations, though they can still affect time-sharing and may need to be addressed in the parenting plan.
Do I need the other parent’s permission to relocate?
If a parenting plan is in place, you generally need either a signed written agreement from the other parent or a court order. A verbal agreement is not enough, and acting on one can leave you exposed if the other parent later changes position.
How long do I have to object to a relocation petition?
A written objection must be filed and served within 20 days after you are served with the petition. This is a firm deadline with serious consequences if missed, so contact a lawyer immediately.
How quickly will the court hear a relocation case?
Absent good cause, a hearing on temporary relocation should be set within 30 days of the motion, and a nonjury trial within 90 days of the notice. The calendar is fast, which is why early preparation matters.
What does the court consider when deciding whether to allow the move?
The court focuses on the child’s best interest, including relationships with both parents, the child’s ties to school and community, the reason for the move, and whether a realistic long-distance schedule can preserve the other parent’s bond.
Can I move before my divorce is final if we have children?
It is risky. Until a parenting plan is entered, the court is setting the baseline arrangement, and a unilateral move can be held against you in deciding time-sharing. Raise the issue with your lawyer before taking any step.
What happens if the other parent moves without telling me?
You can ask the court to enforce the parenting plan, seek an order requiring the child’s return, and request contempt remedies. Keep records of the move, any communication about it, and how it has affected your time with the child.
Will relocating change my child support?
Often, yes. Child support follows statutory guidelines that depend on income and overnights. If a move reduces one parent’s overnights below the 20 percent threshold, the time-sharing adjustment may no longer apply, and travel costs can be allocated in the order.
Can I modify the plan later if the long-distance schedule is not working?
Yes, but modification requires showing a substantial and material change in circumstances. The Legislature removed the requirement that the change be unanticipated, which makes the standard somewhat easier to meet than it once was.
Does the child get to choose which parent to live with?
A child’s preference is one factor, weighted by the child’s age and maturity. It is not controlling, and judges are cautious about placing a child in the middle of the dispute.
Is mediation required before a relocation trial?
Mediation is commonly required in Florida family cases and many relocation disputes settle there, particularly when a creative schedule resolves the other parent’s concerns. Settlement lets both parents keep control over the terms.
Serving Parkland and the Surrounding Communities on Relocation Matters
The firm represents parents from Parkland and neighboring Coral Springs across Broward County, and extends into Palm Beach County through Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Highland Beach, and Lantana. Clients also come from Coconut Creek, Margate, Tamarac, Deerfield Beach, and Pompano Beach, as well as from Weston, Plantation, Sunrise, and Fort Lauderdale. Across South Florida, the same questions arise whether a parent is relocating out of the area or staying and contesting someone else’s move.
Speak With a Parkland Relocation Attorney Before the Deadline Passes
Whether you are preparing a petition or have just been served with one, a Parkland relocation attorney at Williams & Varsegi, LLC can review your parenting plan, explain what the statute requires, and build a strategy around the 20-day response window and the fast hearing schedule that follows. Call to schedule a consultation and learn where you stand before your next step is taken for you.
