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(407) 834-5800
(407) 834-5800
ADR Mediation Center — Orlando, Florida
Florida courts require a parenting plan before finalizing any divorce or paternity action involving minor children. Mediation lets parents design time-sharing schedules that reflect their children's real lives — rather than accepting a court-imposed arrangement.
Charles Geller, Florida Supreme Court-certified Family Mediator, works with both parents to build detailed, Florida-compliant parenting plans — including child support calculations under Section 61.30, Florida Statutes.
Florida Law
A Florida Parenting Plan is a legally binding document that defines how separated or divorced parents share responsibilities for their minor children. Florida family courts require parenting plans under Section 61.13, Florida Statutes, which governs time-sharing schedules and parental responsibility.
Florida replaced the traditional legal term child custody with time-sharing to emphasize that both parents should remain actively involved in a child's life whenever possible. Florida law presumes shared parental responsibility serves the best interests of the child unless a court determines otherwise.
Parents who create parenting plans through mediation retain control over these decisions. When parents cannot agree, a judge determines the parenting arrangement — relying on limited information presented in court rather than the family's day-to-day reality. Child support obligations associated with parenting plans are calculated under Section 61.30, Florida Statutes, and Charles Geller will calculate child support for you during your mediation session.
Three Required Elements
The schedule defines where children live during weekdays, weekends, holidays, and school breaks — including separate schedules for the academic year and extended summer breaks.
The plan determines how parents make major decisions involving education, healthcare, religion, and extracurricular activities — whether shared or assigned to one parent.
The plan establishes how parents communicate with each other and how children maintain contact with both parents during each time-sharing period.
Scope of Service
A parenting plan negotiated at ADR Mediation Center addresses both legal requirements and the practical details families must resolve after separation. Detailed parenting plans reduce stress and misunderstandings between parents and provide children with stable routines across both households.
| Parenting Plan Component | What the Plan Defines |
|---|---|
| Weekly Time-Sharing Schedule | Where children reside during the school week and weekends |
| Holiday Schedule | Division of holidays, school breaks, birthdays, and summer vacation |
| School-Year vs. Summer Schedule | Separate schedules for the academic year and extended school breaks |
| Parental Responsibility | Whether major decisions are shared or assigned to one parent |
| Communication Between Parents | Methods and expectations for exchanging information about the children |
| Methods and expectations for exchanging information about the children | Each parent's ability to contact children during the other parent's time-sharing period |
| Transportation and Exchanges | Pickup responsibilities, drop-off locations, and exchange logistics |
| Relocation Planning | Procedures if a parent relocates under the Florida relocation law |
| Dispute Resolution | Methods for resolving future parenting disagreements without returning to court |
In the few cases where full agreement cannot be reached on every issue, those unresolved items revert to the court for a judge to decide. The issues resolved in mediation remain part of the agreement.
Your Plan or a Judge's Order
Parents who negotiate parenting plans through mediation maintain control over family decisions. Mediation allows parents to create parenting schedules that reflect work schedules, school calendars, and children's activities. Litigation transfers those decisions to a judge who must rely on limited information presented in court.
"Research from the American Psychological Association identifies cooperative co-parenting as a key factor supporting children's well-being following divorce."
| Factor | Mediated Parenting Plan | Court-Ordered Parenting Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Decision Maker | ✓ Both parents | Family court judge |
| Basis for Decisions | ✓ Children's schedules and family routines | Legal arguments presented by attorneys |
| Flexibility | ✓ Fully customizable | Limited judicial framework |
| Privacy | ✓ Confidential mediation process | Public court record |
| Time to Finalize | ✓ Days to several weeks | Months to more than a year |
| Cost | ✓ Fraction of litigation cost | Attorney fees for both sides |
| Compliance | ✓ Higher — parents created the plan | Lower — the plan is imposed |
How It Works
01
Parents schedule a phone or Zoom consultation with Charles Geller. The consultation explains Florida parenting plan requirements and the mediation process. Preparation forms help parents organize schedules and parenting priorities before the mediation session begins — so both parties arrive focused on decisions rather than paperwork.
02
Parents meet with Charles Geller at the ADR Mediation Center office in Orlando or participate via Zoom. The session addresses weekly time-sharing schedules, holiday arrangements, parental responsibility decisions, communication protocols, and transportation logistics. Most parenting plan discussions occur within the broader divorce mediation process, lasting three to four hours.
03
ADR Mediation Center prepares a Florida-compliant Parenting Plan document once parents reach an agreement. Both parents review and sign the completed parenting plan before submitting the document to the court as part of the Marital Settlement Agreement.
Why Families Choose ADR Mediation Center
Charles Geller combines professional therapy experience with his Florida Supreme Court certification in Family Mediation. This background enables mediation sessions to address both the legal requirements of a parenting plan and the emotional dynamics of co-parenting after separation.
Charles Geller has served as a family mediator for the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida in Orange County, mediating disputes in Orange, Seminole, and surrounding counties involving time-sharing schedules, parental responsibility, and post-divorce parenting conflicts. Approximately 35 percent of ADR Mediation Center clients come from referrals by former clients, reflecting long-term satisfaction with the mediation process.
Florida Supreme Court Certified — Family, Civil, and Appellate Mediation
Diplomate Member, Florida Academy of Professional Mediators
Trainer of Family Mediators in the area of pro se divorce (without attorneys)
30+ years working with families as a therapist through financial and relational transitions
20+ years of dedicated family mediation experience in Central Florida
Established mediation referral relationships with Orange County and Seminole County Courts under the Ninth and Eighteenth Judicial Circuits
In-person in Orlando and via Zoom across all 67 Florida counties
Common Questions
Yes. Florida law requires every divorcing couple with minor children to submit an approved parenting plan before a court can finalize the divorce judgment. Courts review the parenting plan to ensure it addresses time-sharing and parental responsibility.
A Florida parenting plan must address time-sharing schedules, parental responsibility for major decisions, and communication methods between parents and children. Most parenting plans also include holiday schedules, transportation arrangements, and procedures for resolving future disputes.
Yes. Parents who reach an agreement through mediation can create their own parenting plan and submit it to the court for approval. Judges only impose a parenting plan when parents cannot agree on schedules or responsibilities.
Shared parental responsibility means both parents retain equal legal authority to make major decisions about a child's education, healthcare, religious upbringing, and activities. Florida courts generally presume shared parental responsibility is in the child's best interests.
Florida relocation law requires either a written agreement between parents or court approval when a parent plans to move more than 50 miles from the current residence. Courts evaluate relocation requests based on the child's best interests.
Yes. Florida courts allow modification of a parenting plan when a parent proves a substantial, material change in circumstances affecting the child and demonstrates that modifying the plan serves the child's best interests.
Yes. ADR Mediation Center provides parenting plan mediation for unmarried parents who need to establish time-sharing schedules and parental responsibility. Florida courts require parenting plans in paternity and custody cases involving minor children.
Yes. ADR Mediation Center offers virtual parenting plan mediation through Zoom for parents across all Florida counties. Virtual mediation allows parents to participate remotely while negotiating parenting schedules and decision-making responsibilities.
Client Testimonials
Central Florida families who built detailed, court-approved parenting plans through mediation — and kept their focus on their children.
"Our parenting plan covers everything — school pick-ups, holidays, medical decisions, even social media rules. Charles made sure we thought through situations we hadn't even considered. Our kids have thrived since."
"Going through court would have taken a year and cost a fortune. Charles helped us finalize a detailed parenting plan in four sessions. The judge approved it without changes. I can't recommend him enough."
"We had very different ideas about time-sharing. Charles helped us focus on what was best for our daughter, not what each of us wanted to 'win.' The plan we created reflects that, and it shows."
Join hundreds of Central Florida families who chose mediation over litigation.
Get in Touch
Fill out the form below and Charles Geller will respond within one business day. All communications are fully confidential under Florida law.
Schedule a Parenting Plan Consultation
Parenting decisions made during mediation shape how children experience family transitions. ADR Mediation Center helps parents create parenting plans that meet Florida legal requirements while protecting children's stability and both parents' relationships with their kids. Call (407) 834-5800 or schedule a free consultation to begin.
