Tag Archives: Tampa Divorce Lawyer
Collaborative divorce
A new type of process in divorce is called “collaborative law.” In such a case, the parties enter into a Collaborative Law Agreement prior to any filing of divorce. The agreement indicates that the parties will cooperate in providing discovery without the need for any court orders and that they will be forthcoming on… Read More »
Why is mediation important in a divorce?
Mediation is required in divorce, but why is it important? Mediation is highly successful and should be used in good faith. No one is in a better position to settle his or her case than the parties themselves. Therefore, mediation is a very important aspect of the case. Even if a total agreement cannot… Read More »
Florida’s “parents and divorce” course
During a divorce, all parties with minor children are required to attend a “parents and divorce” course approved by the Florida Department of Children and Families before entry of the Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage. I recommend that you take this course as quickly as possible because it will help you navigate through… Read More »
Parenting during and after divorce: time-sharing and shared parental responsibility
It is Florida policy to encourage both parents to have “frequent and continuing contact” with their children and to “share the rights and responsibilities, enjoys, of child rearing” after divorce. Florida law refers to this as “parental responsibility,” and most parties have shared parental responsibility. Florida law creates a preference for this so that… Read More »
Temporary relief: Getting action quick during a divorce
Sometimes one of the parties needs the court to order something before the final judgment. This is called “temporary relief,” and it can include alimony, child support, attorney’s fees, suit money and costs, determination of parental responsibility, orders regarding use and possession of marital assets (including the marital home), and payment of marital liabilities…. Read More »
Mediation: An important step in a divorce
In a divorce, before a hearing can be held before a judge, the parties must attend mediation. It’s an important step in the divorce process and will be the subject of this three-part blog series. Florida law defines mediation as “a process whereby a neutral third person called a mediator acts to encourage and… Read More »
A clearer financial picture during divorce
During a divorce, it’s very important to have a clear picture of each party’s financial status, and in addition to the Financial Affidavit, there are other ways to ensure the other party produces all financial documentation. For one, there are written questions, called “interrogatories,” which ask questions about a party’s education, assets and liabilities…. Read More »
The discovery process in divorce
After the initial divorce petitions are filed, the parties then start a process called “discovery.” During discovery, each spouse must disclose certain evidence, called mandatory disclosure. This includes things such as a financial affidavit, income tax returns, pay stubs, loan applications and deeds, bank statements and more. In addition, one can request other items… Read More »
Grounds for divorce in Florida
Florida only recognizes two reasons for divorce. The most common reason is that the marriage is “irretrievably broken.” The only other reason is that the spouse has been legally incapacitated for at least three years. This legal incapacity must be court-ordered from the Guardianship Court. The concept behind these two grounds for divorce is… Read More »
