Why families come to Connect Attorneys
Connect Attorneys is a Miami law firm serving clients throughout South Florida. Our family law attorneys focus on giving clients clear information and steady guidance, explaining how Florida law may apply and what to expect at each stage. Every client works directly with an attorney, and we serve South Florida families in English and Spanish.
What Counts as Relocation Under Florida Law
Not every move triggers the statute. Relocation means changing your principal residence to a place at least 50 miles away, for at least 60 consecutive days. Temporary absences for vacation, education, or a child's health care do not count. Moves shorter than that are generally outside the relocation statute, though a move of any distance can still raise questions under an existing parenting plan.
(Source: Fla. Stat. § 61.13001.)
The Two Lawful Paths: Agreement or Petition
If everyone entitled to time-sharing agrees, the move can be handled by a written agreement signed by both parents that reflects the consent, sets out a time-sharing schedule for the parent staying behind, and describes transportation arrangements where needed. Without an agreement, the parent who wants to move must file and serve a petition to relocate that explains where, why, and how time-sharing would work after the move.
The order matters: the process comes before the moving truck, not after.
(Source: Fla. Stat. § 61.13001.)
The 20-Day Window
Relocation cases run on deadlines, and one dominates: a parent served with a relocation petition has 20 days to file a written objection. Miss it, and the statute provides that the relocation will generally be allowed without a hearing, unless it is shown not to be in the child's best interest. For the objecting parent, those 20 days are the case. For the relocating parent, a properly served petition and a quiet 20 days can resolve the matter cleanly.
(Source: Fla. Stat. § 61.13001.)
What Courts Weigh When Relocation Is Contested
A contested relocation asks a hard question: the move may genuinely improve a parent's work, family support, or finances, and it also changes the other parent's time with the child. Florida directs courts to weigh statutory factors centered on the child, generally including the child's relationship with each parent, the child's age and needs, whether meaningful time-sharing can realistically be preserved across the distance, and the reasons each parent gives for seeking or opposing the move. Neither parent starts with a presumption in their favor; the case is won on specifics.
(Source: Fla. Stat. § 61.13001.)
Moving Without Permission
Relocating without an agreement or court approval is the most expensive shortcut in family law. A court can hold the parent in contempt, order the child returned, treat the unauthorized move as a factor against that parent in time-sharing decisions, and order payment of the other side's fees and expenses. If the move has already happened, the realistic path is usually to address it immediately rather than hope it goes unnoticed.
(Source: Fla. Stat. § 61.13001.)
Relocation Cases in Miami-Dade
Relocation petitions here are heard in the family divisions of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, usually inside an existing case, and they interact directly with the parenting plan: a granted relocation nearly always means a modified schedule, so these cases often travel together with a modification. The framework that governs the underlying schedule is on our time-sharing page, our guide to the Miami-Dade family courthouse shows the setting, and the family law overview connects the rest. We advise parents on both sides of relocation questions from our Brickell office, in English and Spanish.
This is general information about Florida law, not legal advice. How these rules apply depends on the details of your situation. Talking with an attorney is the clearest way to understand what they mean for you.