Filing for Custody of a Minor Child in Florida

by Mark and Deb from Yulle, Florida, Nassau County

Filing for Custody of a Minor Child in Florida:
My wife and I currently have temporary custody of a minor child that is a family friend from GA.

The mother of the child has stated to us that she doesn't think she can afford to support her child.

The little girl has diabetes and thus far my wife and I have been able to stabilize her levels unlike her mother who has given her energy drinks and such.

The bottom line is that if she is to go back to her mother there is a fear that she will not be taken care of and given the best home life. How do we go about filing for full custody?

Answer to Florida Court Forms Child Custody Question

Dear Mark and Deb,

If you are not an immediate family member of the child, you will need to seek the advice of a lawyer in order to pursue full custody. Florida does not publish an approved form for this kind of family law issue.

However, you can apply for an adoption of the child if the mother and father both agree on giving up their parental rights. If you choose to petition the court for an adoption, you should still seek the advice of an attorney.

The fact that the mother now lives in GA is only one of potentially many other reasons why you should do so. See the following links for more information about Florida child custody and child custody resources.

Florida Child Custody Resources

Florida Kinship Center

Florida Putative Father Registry

Florida State Courts Family Law Forms Page

Notice: We provide these answers to the general public and our website visitors as a means to further their online legal research. These answers are merely suggestions and should not be regarded as legal advice.

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Florida Court Forms Self Help Guides

Our Self Help Guide, Modifying Custody & Visitation in Florida, helps you navigate the court process and procedures once you file your documents with easy to follow checklists, links to websites, important addresses & phone numbers, and much more. Modifying Custody & Visitation In Florida

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