Family court judges may at any time during a divorce or paternity proceeding order either or both parents who owe a duty of support to a child to pay child support.  If the family court judge orders payment of child support, the actual amount will be determined by child support guidelines adopted to ensure that children receive an appropriate amount of support.

When Florida family Courts establish or modify a parental responsibility or a time-sharing schedule, courts consider a number of best interest of the child factors.

Florida public policy is to encourage each parent to share parental responsibility and time-sharing.

In some cases, it is possible to reach an agreement on time-sharing and parental responsibility (generally called 'Uncontested Divorce' case). Whether the time-sharing schedule and parental responsibility is agreed to by the parties, or Court ordered, a Parenting Plan is the document which governs the relationship between the parents relating to decisions that must be made regarding the Minor Child, and a time-sharing schedule.