Florida no longer has custody orders. They are called Parenting Plans. The change was made in 2008 based on the recommendations of a Family Law Committee. The Committee is made up of attorneys and professionals who work in the family law field. The reason for the change is to move away from common problems seen … Read more
Many people consult with us about time-sharing here in the State of Florida. It’s very different than how other States address this, especially with the wording. The Florida Legislature abolished words as “custody” and “primary residential parent” in 2008. Instead, we use words such as time-sharing and parenting plans. The reason is simple – it … Read more
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, it’s time to ensure that your Holiday Time-Sharing goes smoothly. This is not a problem with many divorced couples, but it’s best to resolve issues now. The number of different Time-Sharing schedules people use is as diverse as the number of couples themselves. Many people equally divide the Thanksgiving … Read more
Putative Father’s rights changed last year when Florida’s highest court held that a putative father can file for paternity. This can be done over the objection of the wife and her Husband. Until then, a putative father had no right to file. Several cases have now been filed using this change as a basis, and … Read more
Father’s Rights took a nice step in the right direction recently. The Florida Supreme Court held that unmarried dads can pursue their rights, even if the mother was married to someone else. This set aside a decades old approach that was long overdue. Before this ruling, unmarried dads could not pursue such rights. Children whose … Read more
Attorney’s fees is an important issue in many family law cases. Hiring an attorney is expensive, and often people are using the balance of their checking account to hire someone. Worse yet, they have to put the fees on a credit card because the other spouse hired someone already. There are many issues to resolve … Read more
The Collaborative Law Process Act is now law, and it’s a great step for families. The Florida Legislature recently passed this new law, which gives people an alternative to litigation. A rather unique approach, Collaborative Law is based on the idea that parties work strictly to resolve things without litigation. Parties must agree to participate, … Read more
Relocation is a common event for all of us. Our jobs change. We remarry or enter into new relationships. So it’s important for a custodial parents to know when they can move, and how far. America is a mobile society. We are able to connect with each other via FaceTime, Skype, and other forms of electronic … Read more
New Year’s Resolutions are fabulous, if you actually follow them. Many people promise themselves that they will lose weight, or spend less money. Here’s four common sense tips that are helpful to all, especially anyone who is divorced or is about to divorce. First, don’t blame yourself for what happened. It takes two to create … Read more
The Florida court system uses Magistrates every day. However, many people do not understand their role. Magistrates are appointed by circuit judges to handle a variety of cases. They work directly under the circuit judges, running their courtroom just like a judge. In family law cases, magistrates hear divorces, modification cases, and paternity cases. … Read more