Family Law Dictionary - S

Scientific Paternity Testing - a medical test to determine who is the father of a child.

Secondary Residential Responsibility (Visitation) - the time that the parent with whom the child(ren) does (do) not have primary residence spends with the child(ren).

Service - the delivery of legal documents to a party. This must be accomplished as directed by Florida Family Law Rules 12.070 and 12.080.

Shared Parental Responsibility - an arrangement under which both parents have full parental rights and responsibilities for their child(ren), and the parents make major decisions affecting the welfare of the child(ren) jointly. Shared Parental Responsibility is presumptive in Florida.

Sole Parental Responsibility - a parenting arrangement under which the responsibility for the minor child(ren) is given to one parent by the court, with or without rights of visitation to the other parent.

Specified Visitation - a parenting arrangement under which a specific schedule is established for the visitation and exchange of the child(ren).

Spouse - a husband or wife.

Supervised Visitation - a parenting arrangement under which visitation between a parent and his or her child(ren) is supervised by either a friend, family member, or a supervised visitation center.

Supplemental Petition - a petition that may be filed by either party after the judge has made a decision in a case and a final judgment or order has been entered. For example, a supplemental petition may be used to request that the court modify the previously entered final judgment or order.