Category Archives: Family Law
Enforcing a Time-Sharing Agreement in Florida
If you and your former partner have children together and have a parenting plan in place, you may be wondering what your options are if your co-parent violates that agreement. Whether this takes the form of failing to show up for visits, or refusing visitation to a co-parent, the consequences can be serious. Read… Read More »
Five Common Child Support Enforcement Devices
If the child support obligor in your family’s life is behind on monthly payments, you are certainly not alone. Nationwide, less than half of these obligors pay the full amount due. The resulting shortfall now exceeds $110 billion, and that figure is climbing daily. Technically, the state attorney general has the right to collect… Read More »
Why Should Florida Dads File Paternity Actions?
Overall, about a third of Florida infants are born to single mothers. The proportion is much higher in certain communities. Many fathers believe that if they signed the birth certificate, they have legal rights as fathers. That myth is partially true. These dads could be administratively liable for child support payments. But a signature… Read More »
What Does PAS Mean to You?
Parental Alienation is a normal and transient aspect of most Florida divorces which involve minors. Children often gravitate to one parent or the other one at different times of their lives. Parental Alienation Syndrome is different. PAS is abnormal and permanent, mostly because it is intentional. The alienating parent, who is usually the residential… Read More »
The Five Types of Restraining Orders in Pinellas County
Many people always view domestic violence as a one-off anomaly. But in most cases, that’s not accurate. The roots of domestic violence often go back to the alleged abuser’s teen years. Frequently, the alleged abuser either witnesses domestic violence at that time or perpetrated it on someone else. And, unless someone does something, the… Read More »
Seven Good Reasons to Change Your Name Today
Millions of Americans change their names every year. Under Florida law, you do not need a good reason to do so. You simply cannot have a nefarious reason, such as avoiding creditors, unilaterally erasing a criminal record, or avoiding immigration trouble. A good Clearwater family attorney can expedite the process. Local lawyers know a… Read More »
Some Co-Parenting-Friendly Timesharing Arrangements
Florida’s child custody laws have gone through several different phases since World War II. Back then, the “tender years” doctrine dominated child custody cases. Divorced mothers almost always received full custody of the children, and fathers received only limited visitation rights. It was assumed that fathers were either unwilling or unable to care for… Read More »
The Magnificent Seven Child Support Deviation Factors in Florida
In most cases, Florida’s complex child support guidelines conclusively set the amount of child support payments. The key variable is usually the net income of each parent. Net income for child support purposes often differs from the net income amount on a paystub. Only certain payroll deductions are allowable under Florida law. Since the… Read More »
Some FAQs About The BRS And Your Florida Divorce
Beginning January 1, 2018, the U.S. military dramatically changed its retirement system. Instead of a basic defined benefit plan, the new Blended Retirement System has the features of both a pension plan and a 401(k)-type defined contribution plan. Furthermore, after just twelve years of service, servicemembers become eligible for continuation pay. This one-time bonus… Read More »
Changes Coming To Florida Alimony Law
For a number of years, spousal support payments have been tax-deductible for the obligor (paying) spouses and tax-reportable for obligee (recipient) spouses. But the 2017 tax law rewrite obliterates these rules. Beginning January 1, 2019, spousal support payments will no longer be tax-deductible or tax-reportable. Lawmakers predicted that the change would help women, the… Read More »
