Clearwater Child Custody and Visitation Attorney

A trusted lawyer dedicated to protecting your child's best interests

For many parents, their children are their world. It should come of no surprise that custody issues are often the most hostile aspects of divorce. Whereas parents may be willing to compromise on alimony or property division, most refuse to compromise when it comes to taking care of their children.

If you are getting divorced and are involved in a custody dispute, I can help you protect your child's best interests and fight for sole or joint custody. My name is James L. Slater, and I am a Clearwater family law attorney with more than three decades of experience helping clients throughout Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties with issues concerning time sharing and the development of parenting plans.  I know how difficult these issues can become, and I am dedicated to providing you with the representation you need to protect your rights as a parent and the best interests of your children.

More than three decades of legal experience on your side

I help my clients decide how to approach custody disputes. In some divorces, parents are able to work together and negotiate outside of court to develop time sharing arrangements and parenting plans that benefit both parties. Reaching an amicable decision with your spouse is also the best way to ensure that your family's best interests are accounted for. However, if you and your spouse cannot come to terms on your financial and custodial arrangements, I will represent you in court, and with the assistance of a judge, obtain the most aggressive result allowed by the law.

In Florida, the court uses a "best interests of the child" standard to determine which parent should have the majority of the time shared with their children. In doing so, the court looks at a number of different factors, including:

When handling your case, I consider these factors to design a strategy to persuade the courts to find in your favor. I have also been successful in helping parents secure temporary custody of their children during divorce proceedings, as well as creating favorable visitation schedules after time sharing arrangements and parenting plans have been established after trial.

Visitation disputes

After a time sharing arrangement is established, the parent with the minority of time shared is given rights by the court to visit his or her children as appropriate to each case. However, parents often disregard the court's ruling and refuse to allow the other parent to see, visit or even communicate with the children. I zealously represent parents and help them enforce their rights and file actions with the court against their former spouse to make sure they receive the time they deserve with their children.

More than 30 years of experience on your side

If you need an experienced family law attorney on your side, call James L. Slater, Attorney at Law today at 727.493.4148 or contact me online to schedule a free consultation. From my office in Palm Harbor, I represent clients throughout Pasco County, Pinellas County and Hillsborough County.