30 May

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Alimony Reform 2020 Was Denied!

Much to the disappointment of many yet the approval of, even more, the Alimony Reform 2020 Bill in the Florida Courts was denied in early March. While this is a significant setback for many, it is not the end as there will be other bills in the future attempting to accomplish much the same thing. For those who aren't sure what the bill was hoping to accomplish, the following summary should help. Fundamentally it was hoped that permanent alimony in Florida would end. Permanent alimony is a type of Florida alimony, usually used when marriages are over l7 years in length,...

22 May

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What is a Supportive Relationship to Terminate Alimony (fla. state 61.14)

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Alimony, Family Law, Lawyer’s Advice, Legal Advice

What is a Supportive Relationship to Terminate Alimony

In Florida, there are six kinds of alimony or, as now termed, spousal support. The change to the term spousal support is largely due to the fact support during and following a divorce can be awarded to either spouse, husband, or wife. For many years, alimony was almost always given only to a woman, and so a new term helps identify that either party is eligible to be considered for financial help. One kind of alimony awarded is termed permanent alimony as it is awarded for life until either party dies or the party receiving alimony payments remarries or enters...

11 May

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How to Have a Valid Marriage in the State of Florida

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Family Law, Laws and Women

Deciding to enter into the commitment of marriage is an exciting time in a couple’s relationship. Once the decision to take this step has been made, there is a set procedure to make a marriage legally binding and acceptable. Though similar, each state has its guidelines and regulations for obtaining a valid marriage. However, before outlining the steps to take to have a valid marriage in the state of Florida, there are some facts pertaining to a Florida marriage which are important to understand. Each party must be 18 years of age or older to enter into marriage without parental...

30 April

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How to Efficiently Communicate with Your Attorney

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Family Law, Laws and Women, Lawyer’s Advice, Legal Advice, Necessary Forms

How to Efficiently Communicate with Your Attorney

Communication, likely one of the most important social skills related to the human (and animal) species, is not something a person should take casually or for granted. How to use speech, emotions, and body language to effectively share information between two or more persons becomes a powerful tool, whether for a positive or a negative outcome. Such concerns as taking into account the communication style of those listening, finding empathy with the listener, and hearing what the listener has to say in return are all necessary components of efficient communication. And, efficient communication with your attorney is vitally necessary if...

20 April

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Why Reading Your Retainer/Fee Agreement is Important

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Family Law, Laws and Women, Lawyer’s Advice, Uncategorized

Like any document requiring your signature, you should always read all the papers needing your attention. You should even read the small print as there can be some tricky points hidden there. And, reading an attorney’s retainer/fee agreement is no exception. This blog will take a look at why it is important to read the retainer/fee agreement but first understanding what a retainer/fee agreement is will help to explain the importance of reading it in its entirety. According to the online definition of a legal retainer, ”A retainer is an advance payment that a client makes to his or her...

09 April

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What Happens When You Don’t Follow Your Lawyer’s Advice?

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Family Law, Laws and Women, Lawyer’s Advice, Legal Advice, Uncategorized

As with any professional whom you seek out and retain for advice, and in the case of an attorney, representation on a legal matter, it is wise to follow the advice given. Before retaining the professional, you should feel confident he or she knows about and has experience in the field of expertise you need. In the case of a lawyer, you can check on his or her website and contact the state Bar for information. On the website, you can determine the educational background, years of experience, services offered, areas of representation, marital status, community involvement, professional awards, and...

30 March

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How to Dress for the Courtroom

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Child Custody, Family Law, Laws and Women, Legal Advice, Parenting, Uncategorized

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 fitting, unpressed clothes with unshined shoes to match or an attorney dressed in a suit that doesn’t quite button over the midsection, a judge or jury could form the opinion of the person not being serious about the issues at...

20 March

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How Mediation Can Bring Your Case to a Close Faster and Cheaper

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Alimony, Family Law

Prenuptial agreements lawyer martin county

Mediation, defined by Florida’s. Nineteenth Circuit Court—Family Mediation Program “is a process in which two people work together with a neutral third person (the mediator) to discuss the issues in their case and try to work them out. Mediation often occurs with both people in the same room.” In Florida, mediation in the Family Law courts is, for most jurisdictions, a requirement for a couple seeking dissolution of marriage (divorce) or modification of child support, timesharing, parenting plan, and alimony (the types which can be modified). Many of those seeking a divorce think the step of mediation is an unnecessary...

09 March

Sticky

Does Infidelity Affect Alimony?

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Alimony, Family Law

The answer to the question, “Does infidelity affect alimony?” is “yes.” But why is this so when at least in Florida which is a no-fault divorce state there does not have to be a reason for granting a divorce (now termed dissolution of marriage) other than the desire of one of the parties to end the marriage? Taking a look at the words infidelity and alimony with the additional observation of how infidelity can affect the award of alimony will help answer the question under consideration. Infidelity: As defined by Wikipedia (synonyms include: cheating, straying, adultery {when married}, being unfaithful or...