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Dissolution refers to the now used term dissolution of marriage that replaces the term divorce. Dissolution comes from the word dissolve, which in effect is what happens to a couple’s relationship. When minor children are involved by virtue of the fact they were born to or adopted by the couple, there are dynamics involved requiring co-pare...
In Florida, when it is determined that biological or legally adoptive parents are fit physically, mentally, and have not been convicted of child abuse or domestic violence, or are incarcerated, the care and nurturing of minor children (children birth through eighteen or longer if a child cannot support themselves) will be granted by a timesha...
In many states, including Florida, mediation is required for most cases before the case can be scheduled for a court date. This is done for a variety of reasons which, in the end, if mediation is successful, can be a win, win for both parties. Mediation is where both parties and their attorneys try to agree on the outcome of the case in quest...
Attorneys cost money, and rightly so. They have spent years getting a legal education and then passing stiff state exams in order to practice law. And, if that isn't enough, attorneys must continually keep mindful of ever changing laws and regulations. Too, there is the expense of an office, a staff, and the myriad of expectations put on an a...
Going to court is often a scary thought, especially when you really have to go to court. Depending on your personal ability to handle stress can make a difference. There are, however, several tips for even the self-assured person to consider as he or she prepares for their day in court. Probably the most important tip is to make sure you...
Dissolution of marriage, i.e., divorce, is usually the vehicle that a spouse uses to receive child support and or alimony. However, there are instances when financial support is needed and rightfully deserved, but the needful party does not want a divorce. In such an instance, each state has its statutes defining how family law will be carrie...
As with many situations in life, circumstances change as time goes on. This is true of court-ordered spousal support (alimony), child support, and time-sharing. When either party finds him or herself in a position where they think there is a need for modification, Florida Family Courts have very definite standards in place. Obtaining a modifi...
Child support and alimony are two of the most crucial decisions made during a dissolution of marriage (divorce). Child support can also be ordered if parents have never married each other or even lived together. Creating a child is the bottom line for child support. Whatever the circumstance for needing alimony or child support, there are con...
Unfortunately, there are many times when neither parent can care for their minor child. Reasons are numerous and can include death, ill health, mental problems resulting in abuse, drug addiction resulting in abuse and neglect, desertion, and incarnation. Sadly, the numbers of these children being cared for by a family member, most often grand...
Living with a spouse while going through a divorce is rarely an easy thing to do. To begin with, the very fact you and your spouse have deemed your marriage irrevocably broken means you no longer desire to be together permanently. This being said, it would not usually be the desire of a couple to continue to live together in the same home. In...
For many years the courts used the term “divorce” to signify the legal ending of a marriage. In those days, there needed to be reasons a marriage could be terminated, such as adultery, misconduct, and emotional or physical abuse. A reason for divorce had to be proven before a court would end a marriage. As time has gone on, however, there...
Social media, the blessing, and curse of the modern world. YouTube, Facebook, Tumbler, Twitter, Snapchat, Instant Messenger, Linkedin, Instagram, and Pinterest are examples of social media options. It is amazing to be able to talk with and see people around the world. You can take videos of activities, people, and just about anything the mind...
A retainer, What is a retainer in the legal sense, is an up-front fee paid by a potential client to ‘’retain” or hold the time and expenses an attorney may need to litigate a case properly. The definition of payment by retainer provided by the Legal Information Institute is “A fee that the client pays up-front to an attorney before th...
You never know what a judge will rule! This is so true when it comes to the final decision a judge will make concerning a case. Taking a divorce handled in Family Court in Florida, for example, a judge must rule on many issues. While there are guidelines in the Florida Statutes for divorce, it is up to a judge to decide how best to apply the ...
Over the past few years, in most states, parental timesharing has taken the place of ordering primary and secondary custody for minor children. Minor children are children from birth to l8 years, and any child past that age who is mentally or physically unable to provide for themselves. Having both parents involved in the care and nurturing o...
Must we attend mediation? If you live in the state of Florida and plan to divorce (dissolution of marriage), have a minor child (child under the age of l8 or a child who is unable to provide and care for him or herself) and are looking to set child support and or timesharing including developing a parenting plan, or are needing to return to c...
Child support in Florida is mandatory, whether the parents have been married and are getting a divorce, have lived together and are separating, or have never lived together longer than to create a child. Family law in Florida is very conscientious regarding the care and nurturing of minor children and stands by the phrase "in the best interes...
Dress for success. This can be said emphatically for those who are having their day in court, be it attorney, client, or witness. So often, people form judgments based almost entirely on their first impression of another person and can be a plus or a minus depending on the opinion formed. For example, should a client be dressed in poorly fitt...
As each state has its own laws regarding the care and nurturing of minor children following a separation or divorce of their biological or adoptive parents, this blog will focus on the state of Florida. For many years Florida, as in most states, awarded the custody of minor children to one or the other parent. Children lived with the parent h...
Unfortunately, there is no time frame allotted for getting child support. While the party desiring child support may feel it is an emergency, the legal system has its specified procedures which must be followed before adjudication for child support will be finalized by a judge. Taking a look at the procedures needed to obtain child support wi...
The title, “Domestication of a Foreign Order”, implies the order needing domestication is from outside the United States. While this is true in some instances, the majority of orders in this category result from moving to another state outside the state where the order was adjudicated. We live in a mobile society. Many people move from...
Having one’s parents separate, whether from within a marriage or a living-together arrangement, can be, and often is, devastating for children of any age. It is particularly difficult for minor children or those with special needs who depend on parental support and care. In most states, there are guidelines and requirements for post-judgmen...
As was pointed out in Part One of this three part discussion on parenting after a divorce or relational break-up, that many states, Florida in particular, are firm advocates of both parents taking equal responsibility in the continued raising and nurturing of their children, biological and/or adopted. The term “In the best interest of the c...
The definition of co-parenting as defined in the online Your Dictionary “is a process where two parents work together to raise a child even though they are divorced or separated and no longer live together. An example of co-parenting is when a divorced mother and father share legal and physical custody of a child.” Couples who have never ...
For much of history, and indeed until the last forty or so years, the fate of a minor child, 18 being the age of emancipation, was totally in the hands of the parents or legal guardian. Minor children were “seen but not heard” and even in a courtroom setting decisions were made for them as to what was most convenient and in the best inter...
What it means, what it’s for, and how it can protect your family. What it means: The letters UCCJEA stand for Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act. In 1997, due to frequent misuse of parents trying to avoid custody determinations by moving from state to state or even leaving the country, the National Conference of Commi...
