Paternity, Time-sharing, Parenting Plans

14 July

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How to Modify a Parenting Plan in Florida: A Step-by-Step Guide

Posted by Grant Gisondo

Parenting plans are vital in outlining how divorced or separated parents share responsibilities and time with their children in Florida. However, life circumstances can change, necessitating adjustments to these plans. Florida law provides a structured process for modifying parenting plans to reflect new realities while prioritizing the child's best interests. Step 1: Determine Eligibility for Modification Before initiating a modification, assess whether your situation qualifies under Florida law. To modify a parenting plan, you must demonstrate: A substantial, material, and unanticipated change in circumstances since the original plan was established. That the proposed modification serves the best interests of the child. Common qualifying...

Child support attorney palm beach gardens

04 October

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Navigating Co-Parenting After Divorce in South Florida

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Parenting

Navigating Co Parenting After Divorce in South Florida

Tips for Success Co-parenting after a divorce can be challenging, but with the right strategies, it’s possible to create a healthy, supportive environment for your children. In South Florida, as in other parts of the country, co-parenting requires communication, cooperation, and a focus on the well-being of your children. Whether you’re just starting your co-parenting journey or looking to improve an existing arrangement, here are practical tips for building a successful co-parenting relationship. Prioritize Open Communication Effective communication is not just a key aspect, but the cornerstone of any successful co-parenting relationship. Even though your marriage has ended, your role as co-parents remains,...

07 October

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Myths In the Law: There Is No Favoritism in The Law

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Board Certified Lawyer, Child Custody, Child Support, Parenting

For many years it seemed when it came to parents of minor children seeking custody and child support following a divorce or separation that the courts generally ruled in favor of the mother receiving primary custody and the father paying child support. Times have changed. There is no longer favoritism when it comes to the care and nurturing of minor children. In the state of Florida Family Court has a motto, “In the best interest of the child,” and this saying is translated into how minor children are cared for and who is responsible for paying child support. To be...

26 August

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What is the Role of a Forensic Psychologist in Child Custody Cases?

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Alimony, Board Certified Lawyer, Child Custody, Child Support, Divorce Law News, Family Law, Lawyer’s Advice, Legal Advice, Parenting, Time Sharing

Before looking at the role of a forensic psychologist in child custody cases, it makes sense to look at the definition of a forensic psychologist and what their role is. As defined by the American Psychology Association, it is “the application of clinical specialties to the legal arena.” In other words, according to author Jane Tyler Ward, Ph.D., forensic psychology is “the physiological assessment of individuals who are involved in one way or another with the legal system.” She goes on to say the most important skills a forensic psychologist must have are solid clinic skills that include “clinical assessment,...

18 August

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The Importance of Choosing the Right Mediator During Litigation

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Alimony, Board Certified Lawyer, Child Custody, Child Support, Divorce Law News, Family Law, Lawyer’s Advice, Legal Advice, Parenting, Time Sharing

Mediation is the agreeing of two parties to solving a legal issue such as a divorce or child support modification by the process of compromise. Each party is usually represented by their attorney, who helps the party look at all offers and consider if a compromise can be reached, and the issue solved. Reaching an agreement in mediation is less expensive than going to court, both in legal fees and court costs. Additionally, In mediation, the parties have control over the outcome of their litigation rather than a judge deciding for them. The mediation transcripts are private and cannot be...

06 August

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Should You Tell Your Children You Are Getting Divorced?

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Alimony, Board Certified Lawyer, Child Custody, Child Support, Divorce Law News, Family Law, Lawyer’s Advice, Legal Advice, Parenting, Time Sharing

The answer to this question is really more when you should tell your children you are getting divorced. Eventually, even a very young child will find out Mommy and Daddy do not live together anymore. What is important is to think about a number of considerations before sharing the sad news with your children. Here are some tips to help you think through and decide how best to share the news about the divorce. First and foremost, you should, as parents, work together to decide when it is best and when how to tell your children about the divorce. Hopefully,...

07 July

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How to Effectively Coparent DURING a Dissolution

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Alimony, Board Certified Lawyer, Child Custody, Child Support, Divorce Law News, Family Law, Laws and Women, Lawyer’s Advice, Legal Advice, Parenting, Time Sharing

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-parenting. Minor children are children from birth to eighteen years or longer if a child is unable to support themselves independently for physical or mental reasons. When a dissolution, divorce, is final, there will be a shared parenting plan and parental timesharing schedule legally in...

12 May

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20 Factors the Court Considers in Order Timesharing with a Minor Child

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Alimony, Child Custody, Child Support, Divorce Law News, Family Law, Lawyer’s Advice, Legal Advice, Parenting, Time Sharing

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 timesharing order. There are 20 factors that the court considers when drawing up the timesharing order. These factors are all contained in Florida’s Statute 61:13. The following paraphrase for each factor will help you understand how a judge will look at each timesharing situation. Show parents...

20 Factors the Court Considers in Order Timesharing with a Minor Child

26 April

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Mediation can be a Win, Win for Both Parties

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Alimony, Child Custody, Divorce Law News, Family Law, Lawyer’s Advice, Mediation, Parenting

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 question. A trained mediator, often an attorney, will keep the conversations on track and remind the parties how important it is to seriously consider compromise in order to resolve the issues. Taking a look, for example, at...

04 February

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How to Live with Your Spouse While Going Through a Divorce

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Child Custody, Divorce Law News, Family Law, Laws and Women, Lawyer’s Advice, Legal Advice, Parenting

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 most instances, each party has his or her own residence while going through a divorce and most certainly after the divorce is finalized. Occasionally, however, some circumstances make it necessary for a couple to continue to...

18 December

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What Should You Bring to Your Initial Consultation?

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Divorce Law News, Family Law, Lawyer’s Advice, Legal Advice, Parenting

To better understand what you should bring to your initial consultation, it Is necessary to understand what an initial consultation with an attorney is designed to accomplish. There are several things to consider: An initial consultation is not a time when an attorney will be giving direct advice involving your potential case. Instead, it a time for you to present the reasons you need an attorney and for the attorney to listen and make suggestions as to how he or she can be of help in getting you the outcome you hope for. As no one can know the mind...

08 December

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Why an Attorney Will Not Give You Legal Advice in a FREE Consultation

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Alimony, Divorce Law News, Family Law, Lawyer’s Advice, Legal Advice, Parenting

When considering this question, the first thing to clarify is the difference between advice and information. Advice: as defined by online Find Law states, “Legal advice refers to the written or oral counsel about a legal matter that would affect the rights and responsibilities of the person receiving the advice. In addition, actual legal advice requires careful analysis of the law as it applies to a person’s specific situation—as opposed for speculation based on generic facts.” Here an attorney would learn the specific facts of a client’s case and do research to determine how best to proceed. Often just getting ready...

02 December

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What to Know When a Child Flies to Visit Parents During COVID

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in COVID l9, Divorce Law News, Family Law, Lawyer’s Advice, Parenting

Life must go on even during the current COVID pandemic. This life includes the timesharing orders between parents of minor children. When it is nice if both parents live in the same geographical area, it today’s transient society, it often happens that parents live miles and sometimes states apart. As most parental timesharing plans include instructions on allowing minor children to visit, even when many miles separate them, it is important to understand how a minor child can fly between parents. If a minor child needs to fly without an accompanying adult, the child is considered an unaccompanied minor, and...

02 July

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Must We Attend Mediation?

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Child Custody, Legal Advice, Mediation, Parenting

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 court for modification of alimony, child support, or timesharing and the parenting plan, you will need to attend mediation before setting a court date. This is true in almost every Florida jurisdiction. Why does Florida lean so...

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

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...

11 April

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Divorces on the Rise?

Posted by Grant Gisondo

in Alimony, Divorce Law News, Family Law, Legal Advice, Parenting, Paternity

Divorce, or dissolution of marriage as it is termed in most states, has, with little exception, been on the rise since the early 1900s when the divorce rate was around 5%. Back then, women had few rights and were usually not in a position to support themselves should they seek a divorce. Men were even allowed to abuse their wives as in the eyes of most people; the woman was the property of her husband. Slowly, as woman gained the right to vote, to own property, to get a university education, to work outside the home, and to have the...