DIVORCE
No divorce is easy or simple. Emotions run high even when there is no disagreement that ending the marriage is the right step. Those emotions can make it difficult to focus on the decisions that need to be made as part of the divorce. Making well-thought-out choices during your divorce will leave you in the best position as you move forward with your life. When complicating factors such as a substantial marital estate are part of the divorce, it is especially important that you protect your rights and your best interests.
If your divorce is going to involve complex or substantial assets, you need to make sure that you do what is right for yourself and your children. Common assets that can complicate a divorce include:
- Small Business
- Professional Practice
- Multiple Investment Properties
A skilled and experienced attorney can help guide you through the divorce process while keeping your focus on making the right choices that will leave you well situated after the divorce.
or Call (561) 659-5522 for immediate assistance
CHILD SUPPORT
Setting the appropriate child support levels can be critical to the successful financial maintenance of both parents’ households. State guidelines seek to create a balance that ensures that a child is well provided so that the custodial parent does not bear an unfair and challenging amount of the costs of raising a child and the noncustodial parent has sufficient funds to support his or her own household. However, in order to properly protect yourself, you need one of our experienced attorneys to ensure an accurate calculation.
The state guidelines have recently been changed. If you currently pay child support and your child spends 20 percent or more of his or her overnights with you, you may be eligible to seek a reduction in child support obligations.
or Call (561) 659-5522 for immediate assistance
CHILD CUSTODY
Child custody and visitation are a major focus for the family law area of our practice. Questions on child custody and visitation can arise as part of a divorce or independently for parents who did not marry. No matter how the issues of child custody and visitation arise, our skilled and experienced attorneys can help, including relocations.
The courts will look to serve the best interests of the child in making decisions on child custody and visitation. The court will decide on two separate aspects of custody:
- Legal custody — Legal custody, or specifically, in Florida, referred to as parental responsibility, describes the ability or right to make decisions about a child’s upbringing including such issues as religion, health care and education.
- Physical custody — Physical custody, referred to as timesharing, refers to where a child spends time.
It is common today to see parents share parental responsibility with the child living primarily with one parent while the other parent has visitation, or as the state of Florida now refers to it as, time sharing.
or Call (561) 659-5522 for immediate assistance
ALIMONY
Spousal support, or alimony as it is commonly known, can be a contentious issue in divorces where one party earns more money than another. Rarely do spouses agree on spousal support. That difference in perspective can create animosity and difficulties that can derail the entire divorce process. Our skilled and experienced family law attorneys can help ensure that your perspective is heard and that you present the strongest case for your position.
There have been recent changes in the laws that govern the determination of spousal support. The legislature has laid out a number of changes to spousal support in Florida. The law specifies categories of duration for marriages:
- Short Term — If a couple has been married less than seven years, there is a presumption that permanent alimony is never appropriate.
- Moderate — If a couple has been married seven to 17 years, there is no presumption regarding spousal support.
- Long Term — If a couple has been married for more than 17 years, there is a presumption that permanent alimony would be appropriate
or Call (561) 659-5522 for immediate assistance
PATERNITY
Paternity actions are the starting point of so many other rights for parents. Today, a growing number of parents choose to forego marriage. When their relationship comes to an end, the normal divorce process, which would make certain decisions regarding the best interests of a child, is not available as an avenue for resolution. Furthermore, until a Court Order is entered otherwise a Mother has sole parental responsibility and decision-making power for the child.
A paternity action can be used to answer questions regarding:
- Child Custody and Visitation
- Child Support
This makes paternity actions critical for fathers seeking to establish their child custody and visitation rights. It can further help mothers obtain support for children born out of wedlock.
or Call (561) 659-5522 for immediate assistance
MODIFICATIONS & ENFORCEMENT
Given how difficult it can be to reach agreement or obtain a Final Judgment on family law issues such as divorce or child custody and visitation, the courts and all involved parties usually do their best to make sure that the decision reached is one that will not need to be revisited soon after. Family law agreements and/or Court rulings are built on the circumstances of the present with an eye toward the future. Too often unforeseen changes in circumstance can leave someone unable or unwilling to comply with their obligations as outlined by a Court Order.
If there has been a substantial change in circumstances, one can petition the court for a modification to address the changes and bring the Court Order or agreement back in line with reality. If one party refuses to comply with his or her Court ordered obligations, you can petition the court to enforce his or her compliance.
Common family law matters that may require modification or enforcement include:
- Custody and Visitation (time sharing)
- Child Support
- Spousal Support
A paternity action can be used to answer questions regarding:
- Child Custody and Visitation
- Child Support
This makes paternity actions critical for fathers seeking to establish their child custody and visitation rights. It can further help mothers obtain support for children born out of wedlock.
