New Online Course - Parental Responsibility

The Florida Association of Legal Document Preparers is proud to announce another course offering that teaches document preparers how to prepare Parenting Plans and the other forms that accompany them. Parenting Plans are required for divorcing parents; unwed parents who are separating; and when there is a major life change in the parents' or children's lives.

Our Online Course - Parental Responsibility includes forms and instructions for preparing Parenting Plans; Supplemental Petition for Modification of Child Custody, Time-Sharing, and Related Relief; Supplemental Petition for Relocation with Minor Children; and other forms related to these court actions.

Introductory Tuition - Only $161.00 - Enrollment Opens 4/5

Please Note - This is not the four hour Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course (Parenting Course) which divorcing parents are required to take; although we offer that course as well - CLICK HERE FOR THE PARENTING COURSE. This Parental Responsibility course is for document preparers to learn how to prepare the forms necessary to file in court for pro se litigants.

Purpose of a Parenting Plan

The State of Florida requires that divorcing parents create a Parenting Plan to be incorporated into their Final Judgment of Dissolution. Likewise, unwed parents who are separating are also wise (though not always required) to create a Parenting Plan. The main reasons to create a Parenting Plan are to define parenting and logistical details concerning the children that may not have been considered; to create an overall guideline for parents to follow; and to ensure that the best interests of the children are upheld. When marriages and relationships fail, all too often, the children are collateral damage. Despite best intentions, without a clear cut Parenting Plan, the children's interests can be lost in the shuffle. The emotionality present during a break up sometimes causes otherwise well meaning parents to act in ways that hurt the children.

The fabric of our lives is woven of minute detail. Day to day activities which families take for granted can become sources of conflict and stress. To some, the Parenting Plans created for pro se litigants which are the subject of this course, are over kill, too many decisions, too much information. However, if making a minute decision in advance can prevent unneeded conflict, the extra time it takes to thoroughly prepare a Parenting Plan, is time well spent.

One of the misconceptions about creating a formal Parenting Plan which leads to some resistance is that a Parenting Plan is completely carved in stone. Generally not true. The Safety Focused/ Supervised Parenting Plan, for important reasons, is designed to be closely adhered to. But, the Regular Parenting Plan; and the Long Distance Relocation Parenting Plan allow for minor changes providing that the parents agree. The court system and family court judges would prefer not to micromanage parents' lives, and would be more than happy if everyone would just get along.

Online Learning

FALDP also offers eight other legal document preparation courses. All of our courses are completely online, and completely self-paced. Although our courses are mainly targeted at document preparers who assist pro se litigants, consumers are welcome to enroll. Membership in FALDP is not necessary to enroll in our courses. However, we invite all Florida legal document preparers to apply for membership in our growing association to take advantage of the benefit of being a part of a group of like minded business people.