Use of a Special Master vs. Mediation

[FloridaDad]

Neither my wife or myself is represented, we are proceeding "pro se", our case is filed. My wife is using a paralegal, who told me she plans to file for mediation, which neither of us can afford, a friend told me to request the court to send us to a Special Master which may be cheaper.

Our main issue is child visitation, we have been separated for two years and sharing our two children by alternating weeks, with us swapping the kids every Friday (from Friday to Friday), my wife wants to go to a two-day swap, where every two days the kids will be transferred, citing that "going a week without seeing the other parent is too long".

I'm arguing that the weekly swap allows the kids stability, and develop a "sense of home", my feeling a two-day swap is a transient way to live, not to mention that during the school year its ridiculous to try and maintain a stable studying and homework atmosphere with the kids being moved every two days.

I'm offering that I would permit my wife to have an "optional extra day" either Tuesday or Wednesday (only 1 day), either parent could take the kids over night, mid-week in the visitation cycle.

My wife doesn't want this.

My kids are 10 and 14.

Any advise on this?

[Attorney Howard Iken]

Mediation is required in just about every single divorce case in Florida. There is no alternative. A Special Master is a type of "private judge" rarely used in civil lawsuits - not divorce lawsuits.

If your jurisdiction has a court-mediation-program the final cost should be affordable.





Attorney Howard Iken
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[FloridaDad]

What do you think about my argument about the visitation schedule vs. hers (see below):

Previous Question:

Use of a Special Master vs. Mediation

Neither my wife or myself is represented, we are proceeding "pro se", our case is filed. My wife is using a paralegal, who told me she plans to file for mediation, which neither of us can afford, a friend told me to request the court to send us to a Special Master which may be cheaper.

Our main issue is child visitation, we have been separated for two years and sharing our two children by alternating weeks, with us swapping the kids every Friday (from Friday to Friday), my wife wants to go to a two-day swap, where every two days the kids will be transferred, citing that "going a week without seeing the other parent is too long".

I'm arguing that the weekly swap allows the kids stability, and develop a "sense of home", my feeling a two-day swap is a transient way to live, not to mention that during the school year its ridiculous to try and maintain a stable studying and homework atmosphere with the kids being moved every two days.

I'm offering that I would permit my wife to have an "optional extra day" either Tuesday or Wednesday (only 1 day), either parent could take the kids over night, mid-week in the visitation cycle.

My wife doesn't want this.

My kids are 10 and 14.

Any advise on this?

[Attorney Allison Belcher]

A good mediator should be able to resolve this issue, sometimes, leaving it up to a judge will not benefit either of you. Some judges do not like 50/50 shared custody at all and feel it is too confusing for a child during the school years.

Attorney Allison Belcher
7623 Little Road Ste 200B
New Port Richey, FL 34654