Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the “Safe Exchange of Minor Children” act into law in early June 2024. The bill was passed nearly unanimously in the Florida legislature. The new law is intended to improve safety for children and parents during custody exchanges.
The statute is also referred to as “Cassie Carli,” named after a Florida mother who disappeared in 2022 after meeting with the father of her child for an exchange. Carli’s body was later found buried in Alabama.
The law requires parents who share custody of their children to create a court-approved parenting plan that outlines how they will share the daily responsibilities of raising their children. The parents must also provide a time-sharing schedule for each parent and designate who will be responsible for the child’s healthcare, education, and other activities.
Florida sheriffs are also required to designate at least one parking lot at their office or a substation as a neutral, safe exchange location for parents exchanging their children. Safe exchange parking lots must have a purple light or sign clearly identifying the parking lot as a designated safe exchange location. They must be accessible 24 hours a day and have adequate lighting and have external video surveillance.
The Safe Exchange of Minor Children Act goes into effect on July 1, 2024.
Child custody decisions should be based on the child’s best interest. This means that child custody is to be determined based on what is best for the child, rather than what the parents want. A court will usually accept an agreed child custody plan as long as it is in the child’s best interests. The new law places additional requirements on such plans, including a time-sharing schedule and naming which parent will be responsible for a child’s specific needs.
Clearly though, the safety of the parents must also be a consideration. Raising a child should not put a parent’s life in danger. Nor would the child’s best interests be served by having one parent be harmed, especially by the other parent. A neutral zone for exchanging children is an excellent idea in the event that parent who is abusive still has custody.
However, if a parent is considered abusive, perhaps that parent shouldn’t have custody in the first place and instead should be restricted to supervised visits. If parent is willing to physically hurt another adult, they probably shouldn’t be trusted to look after a child alone. A neutral zone, even with cameras, lights, and outside a sheriff’s office, may only be a half measure for supervised visitation.
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If you have difficulty seeing your child, you should contact a family lawyer today. A skilled family lawyer can answer your questions, provide guidance on your case, and represent your best interests in court.