23 January

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The Importance of Co-parenting – Part One

in Child Custody, Child Support, Family Law

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 married or even lived together but still share the birth or adoption of a child are also candidates for co-parenting. In fact, in the state of Florida where Family Law statutes use the phrase “In the best interest of the child” as...

16 January

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Don’t record your spouse without consent

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Divorce Law News, Family Law, Legal Advice

It is very tempting to record conversations a spouse is having with someone who can demonstrate that a particular fact is indeed true in regards to a certain situation in a case such as a dissolution of marriage (divorce). For example, in Florida, you might believe your spouse is funneling important marital assets, that are property, real or personal, that were acquired during the marriage and will be part of the equitable distribution following final judgment. The phone rings and as you quietly picks it up the party on the other end, not realizing you are listening outlines plans to...

05 January

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What is Domestic Violence?

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Domestic Violence, Family Law

Definition as given by The Department of Justice in June of 2017: “We define domestic violence as a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner. Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person.” To further expand this definition under Florida law: “Domestic Violence Battery is defined as any actual and intentional touching or the intentional causing of bodily harm to another person when the person is a ‘family or household Member’.” A...

Domestic Violence is a Serious Crime With Serious Consequences

04 December

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Professionalism in the Practice of Law

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Family Law, Legal Advice

Professionalism: The conduct, aims, or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or a professional person.” Merriam-Webster In many ways, professionalism is the key to determining if a person in the legal profession is truly committed to their client's goals and needs. When looking for an attorney to represent you in any type of legal matter, in addition to the cost, education, and experience, there are a number of things to look for, most of which come under the definition of professionalism. Here are ten of the most important keys to an attorney’s ability to be the legal professional you are...

12 November

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Modification or Termination of Alimony

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Alimony, Divorce Law News, Family Law

In the state of Florida, certain types of alimony can be modified or changed after a judgment is handed down and there are some instances when alimony can be terminated or stopped altogether. In all cases, there must be proven a material, substantial, and unanticipated (prior to final judgment) change before a case can even be considered. In other words, cause for modification must be serious enough such as a critical illness, winning the lottery, an unavoidable job loss; must have a specific time and or monetary value; must not have known to occur prior to the judge’s decree such...

24 October

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Appraisals and How They Are Useful in Valuing Marital Property and Assets

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Divorce Law News, Family Law, Laws and Women

Use of an Appraisal in Marital Property and Assets

An appraisal is determining the accurate value of something. This is done by using a person who is trained and qualified to appraise and is licensed to carry the title “appraiser”. Probably the most common use of an appraiser is to determine the value of a home or piece of property for someone hoping to buy or sell. Other items such as high-end electronics and furniture, valuable jewelry, antiques, used vehicles, boats, and planes, and old memorabilia are also frequently brought to an appraiser to determine their value for sale or for insurance purposes. Another important use of an appraisal...

26 September

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Reunification Therapy

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Family Law

Definition of “reunification” as found in the online Dictionary: “To cause (a group, party, state, or sect) to become unified again after being divided.” Definition of “therapy” by the American Psychological Association” “Therapy is a treatment for psychological problems in which the therapist and clients work together to understand problems and come up with plans for fixing them.” When the two words, “reunification” and “therapy” are put together in the legal sense, an interesting process is becoming more and more useful, especially in Family law involving cases of dissolution of marriage where there are minor children involved. Reunification therapy, known as RT...

25 September

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Judges and Magistrates: What’s The Difference?

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Family Law

For many people the terms judge and magistrate are thought to mean the same thing. This is by no means correct. While it is true both terms denote jurisdictional functions, there are a variety of differences between a judge and a magistrate including how they arrive at their title, how long they will hold the title and what functions they are expected to perform once they accept their respective position. There are both state and federal judges and magistrates, all of which handle a variety of cases, depending on their title and, in the case of state appointments or elections,...

22 September

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Is Trial The End of The Road? What About Appeals?

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Family Law, Legal Advice

To begin this blog a definition of “legal appeal” is necessary. Online Legalzoom states the following: “An appeal is a request made to a higher court to review a decision made by a lower court. It is not a rehearing of the case you presented” No, a trial is not the mandatory end of the road in a Family Law case decision in Florida. However, as judges usually have wide latitude in making decisions, especially in dissolution of marriage, it is not likely an appellate court will reverse the judge’s decision unless there has been judicial error or the misuse of...

Is Trial The End of The Road? What About Appeals?

23 August

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Attorney Client Privilege, What Does It Mean?

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Family Law

To be brief, the attorney client privilege is the protecting, that is keeping confidential, of information, documents, and evidence given by a client to his or her attorney, much the same as when giving such details to a religious minister, a doctor, or a mental health counselor. This information can be given verbally or in writing and cannot be shared by the professional without permission of the client. In other words, the aspect of “privilege” is on behalf of the client, not the attorney. There is, however, an exception to the attorney client privilege when the intention of the information is...