Example of what not to do in a child custody dispute

On Behalf of | Jun 22, 2020 | Child Custody |

A recent child custody dispute just east of Hernando County on the Florida Turnpike became so heated that it landed a man and woman far from home on the pages of a local newspaper. The man, 41, and woman, 35, are both from New York, though their altercation with another man was in the Okahumpka Service Plaza in Sumter County.

According to an arrest report by the Wildwood Police Department, both the New York man and woman were arrested and charged with battery.

Wrong kind of hug

They allegedly used their vehicle to block in the other man’s car and then tried to make contact with the kids inside his vehicle. The New York man reportedly grabbed the other man and put him “in a bear hug.”

The other man was able to break out of the “hug,” get into his car and drive away. The New York pair were later arrested.

Missing details

Because the news article was pretty brief, it didn’t mention who the New York man and woman are, but it’s likely that many readers will assume that either she’s mother to the kids in the car or that the New York man is their dad.

Some readers might also speculate that whichever one of them is the parent, they’re likely involved in a child custody dispute.

We don’t know the details of this incident, but in similar situations, it is a bad idea for a parent to instigate an altercation of the kind described here.

Advantages

Frustrations with child custody or parenting plan arrangements should be dealt with by an attorney. A lawyer will have two big advantages in a situation like the one described: he or she knows Florida family law and he or she is not emotionally involved in your dispute.

The lack of emotional involvement enables a lawyer to carefully assess a situation and to offer advice and representation that will best protect you, and also protect the best interests of your children.