Florida calls it 'time-sharing,' not 'custody.' The parenting plan is the document that controls your week-to-week life with your kids.
Florida law replaced 'custody' with 'time-sharing' and 'parental responsibility' under Chapter 61. The court-ordered parenting plan sets the time-sharing schedule, decision-making authority, transportation, holidays, and communication. Cases in Tampa file in Hillsborough County Circuit Court, Family Law Division, with mandatory parenting course attendance and (in contested cases) mandatory mediation. These ten Tampa family-law firms are recognized by Florida Bar Board Certification in Marital and Family Law, Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers, AV Preeminent ratings, and consistent peer rankings.
These ten Tampa child custody firms were selected based on Florida Bar Board Certification in Marital and Family Law, Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers recognition, AV Preeminent ratings, and consistent surfacing on Avvo, Justia, and FindLaw. We do not accept payment for placement.
How we picked these 10: We do not accept payment for placement, and we do not write sponsored reviews. More on our methodology → | How to compare firms →
Practice focus: Divorce, child custody, paternity, family law
Tampa family-law firm led by Lynette Silon-Laguna; voted Best of Florida 2025 in the Family Law Firm category by The Guide to Florida.
Strong fit for a deep-bench Tampa family law firm with high-volume family-law experience.
Practice focus: Child custody, divorce, family law
Tampa boutique led by Christina Garcia — Super Lawyer and AV Preeminent — focused on a client-experience-first family-law practice.
Strong fit when you want a boutique experience and AV-rated counsel.
Practice focus: Child custody, divorce, mediation, parenting plans
Tampa family-law boutique; Florida Bar Board Certified in Marital and Family Law, AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell, listed in Florida Super Lawyers.
Strong fit when you want a Board Certified specialist running the case and a mediation-friendly approach.
Practice focus: Child custody, divorce, family law
Tampa family-law firm led by Regina P. Hunter, with extensive experience in Hillsborough County family-law matters.
Strong fit when you want focused boutique attention on a contested custody matter.
Practice focus: Child custody, complex divorce, family law
Tampa family-law firm; Nancy Hutcheson Harris has practiced exclusively in marital and family law for 30+ years.
Strong fit for complex contested custody and high-asset matters.
Practice focus: Child custody, time-sharing, paternity, mediation
Tampa family-law boutique handling child custody and support, stepparent adoption, paternity, and prenuptial agreements.
Strong fit for paternity, stepparent adoption, and mediation-driven cases.
Practice focus: Child custody, complex divorce, family law
Tampa family-law firm; Stann W. Givens is Florida Bar Board Certified in Marital and Family Law, AV Preeminent, and was named Lawyer of the Year for Tampa Family Law by Best Lawyers.
Strong fit for complex, high-stakes custody and contested divorces.
Practice focus: Child custody, divorce, family mediation
Tampa full-service firm with a dedicated family-law team handling divorce, custody, support, and mediation.
Strong fit when you want a full-service firm that can also handle related estate or business issues.
Practice focus: Family law, child custody, civil litigation
Tampa civil-litigation firm with a family-law group covering child custody, divorce, and spousal support.
Strong fit when the custody dispute intersects with civil litigation (defamation, restraining-order litigation, business interests).
Practice focus: Child custody, divorce, family law
Tampa family-law boutique focused on divorce, child custody, time-sharing, and post-judgment modification.
Strong fit when you want a boutique with a focused family-law-only practice.
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Fit your situation, not just the practice area. A child custody firm that mostly handles executive or high-net-worth matters is a different fit from one that mostly handles middle-class or small-business matters. Call the firm and ask: "What does a typical client look like for you? What does a typical case look like?" If the answer is your situation, you are in the right place.
Ask who actually handles the case. Many firms market on the senior partner and route day-to-day work to a junior associate. That is not automatically bad — junior associates can be excellent — but you should know who you are working with. Ask: "Who will I be talking to day-to-day? How often does the senior partner sit in?"
Compare quotes side by side. Most Tampa firms on this list offer a free or low-cost initial consultation. Use two of them. Compare fee structure, retainer terms, and the answers to the same set of questions across firms.
Most Tampa child custody matters bill hourly: $300 to $550 per hour for associates and partners at established firms, $475 to $750 per hour for Florida Bar Board Certified Marital & Family Law specialists. Uncontested parenting-plan drafting (both parents agree, lawyer drafts the plan and incorporates it into a final judgment): $1,500 to $3,500 flat. Initial retainer for contested custody cases runs $3,500 to $8,500 and is drawn down hourly. A high-conflict contested case with experts, depositions, and trial can run $25,000 to $90,000+ per side. Modification proceedings run $2,500 to $12,000.
Uncontested cases (both parents agree on the parenting plan): 90 to 150 days from filing to final judgment, including the mandatory parenting course. Contested cases: 8 to 18 months. Required steps include mandatory disclosure, the parenting course, mediation (almost always required before trial in Hillsborough County), and case management conferences. Trial dates in Hillsborough Family Law Division typically calendar 12 to 18 months out from filing.
Filing happens in the Family Law Division of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit (Hillsborough County), George E. Edgecomb Courthouse and the Court Annex. Initial pre-trial work and the mandatory parenting course route through the Self-Help Center. Pinellas County families file in Sixth Judicial Circuit. Pasco County files in Sixth Judicial Circuit (Pasco). Mediation is mandatory in contested matters before trial.
Florida family law has its own structure. The Tampa landscape differs in meaningful ways from neighboring states.
There is no 'custody' in Florida. Chapter 61 uses 'parental responsibility' (decision-making) and 'time-sharing' (schedule). Courts presume shared parental responsibility unless a parent shows it would be harmful to the child.
The parenting plan is the document. Every case ends with a written parenting plan addressing time-sharing schedule, transportation, holidays, communication, decision-making (education, medical, religious, extracurricular), and exchange logistics. The plan is enforceable.
Mediation is mandatory. Hillsborough County requires mediation before trial in almost every contested case. Most cases settle there. A Tampa child custody attorney who knows the local mediator roster has an advantage.
Relocation is statute-bound. Moving with a child more than 50 miles for more than 60 days requires written consent or a court order under FL Stat. 61.13001. The pleading and proof requirements are technical and unforgiving.
The first hundred Google results for "child custody lawyer Tampa" include thousands of firms. Most are competent. A handful are problems. The patterns to walk away from:
Guaranteed outcomes. No ethical attorney can guarantee a result. If a firm promises a specific recovery, dismissal, or outcome, leave.
The vanishing partner. You meet a senior name at intake, then never speak to them again. Ask in writing who handles your case day to day.
Pressure to sign immediately. Reputable firms give you the retainer in writing, time to read it, and the option to take it home. High-pressure intake is almost always a volume mill.
No verifiable track record. The firm should point to published verdicts, settlements, peer rankings, or bar recognition. Specific cases, numbers, and third-party rankings are evidence. "We have helped thousands of clients" is marketing.
Vague fee terms. Every legitimate Tampa lawyer will give you a written engagement letter with the fee structure, what is covered, what triggers extra charges, and what happens if you fire them. If the firm cannot put that in writing, walk away.
We will connect you with vetted child custody attorneys in Tampa. No fee to use this service.
The free consultation is short — usually 30 to 45 minutes. The lawyer cannot give you a serious case assessment without the documents. Bring the file. Most consultations turn into useful guidance only after the attorney has seen the paper trail.
Existing court orders. Any prior divorce decree, paternity judgment, parenting plan, or restraining order. If there is no prior case, bring proof of parentage (birth certificate, paternity affidavit).
A timeline. Marriage, separation, key events with the child, any incidents the court should know about. One page. Dates and facts.
Financial documents. Last 3 years of tax returns, 3 months of pay stubs, current account statements. Child support is income-driven under FL Stat. 61.30.
Your proposed parenting plan. Sketch the time-sharing schedule you want, holiday/school break splits, decision-making preferences, and the practical logistics (where exchanges happen). The court starts from agreement.
Most Tampa child custody firms on this list offer a free or low-cost initial consultation. Use it. Bring a list of questions, write down the answers, and compare across two firms before you sign.
No. Florida uses 'parental responsibility' (decision-making) and 'time-sharing' (schedule) under Chapter 61. The parenting plan is the controlling document.
No. Florida law specifies no gender preference. The court orders shared parental responsibility unless evidence shows it would be detrimental, and time-sharing is set based on 20 statutory best-interest factors (FL Stat. 61.13(3)).
By agreement or by court order after the mandatory parenting course and mediation. Trial is the last resort. Tampa courts apply the 20 statutory best-interest factors.
Only with written consent or a court order if the move is more than 50 miles for more than 60 days (FL Stat. 61.13001). The petition has technical pleading requirements — get a Tampa child custody lawyer involved early.
Uncontested: $1,500 to $3,500 flat. Contested: $3,500 to $8,500 initial retainer, drawn down hourly at $300 to $750 per hour. High-conflict contested cases run $25,000 to $90,000+ per side.
Uncontested: 90 to 150 days. Contested: 8 to 18 months including mandatory parenting course, mediation, and trial.
A 4-hour course parents must complete before final judgment in any case involving minor children (FL Stat. 61.21). Approved providers are listed on the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit website.
Yes — by agreement, or by court order on a showing of substantial, material, and unanticipated change in circumstances. A Tampa child custody lawyer can tell you whether your facts meet that standard.
One last thing. Choosing a lawyer is personal. Read the reviews. Call two or three firms before you sign. Ask each one: How many cases like mine have you handled in the last three years? The answer tells you what you need to know. — The LawFirmSquare team