Category Archives: General
Walmart Heiress’ Spouse Seeking Hundreds of Thousands in Alimony
The former spouse of Walmart heiress, Paige Laurie, has filed a lawsuit seeking $400,000 per month in alimony in their contentious divorce. The couple, married in secret six years ago, did have Ms. Laurie’s former spouse, Patrick Dubbert, sign a premarital agreement before the ceremony. But now, he claims that the $400,000 per month… Read More »
Gay Marriage and Divorce Now Legal in Florida
Last August, a court ruled that Florida’s ban on gay marriage was unconstitutional, and ever since then men and women of the same sex have been allowed to get married in the state. However, this ruling also means that same-sex divorce, never recognized before in the state, is now also an option for gay… Read More »
Florida Man Arrested after Failure to Pay $120,000 in Child Support
A man was arrested in Tampa last week on a federal charge that he failed to pay nearly $120,000 in child support to a woman in Maine over a period of ten years. Glen S. Caristinos, 48, of Safety Harbor has been charged with a Class E federal felony for failure to pay child… Read More »
Florida Bill Would Lower Alimony after Retirement
The same legislation that would end permanent alimony in Florida would also let people reduce or eliminate their payments once they retire. The House and Senate versions of the bill were filed last week that would overhaul the state’s current system of alimony and for the first time would institute a formula to determine… Read More »
Violating Visitation Rights in Child Custody Cases
Child custody agreements are set by the court during divorce proceedings. Florida family courts presume that there should be shared custody among the parents unless there is substantial proof showing otherwise. If one parent is given custody of the child, the other parent can still be awarded visitation rights. These rights detail when, where,… Read More »
Florida Lawmakers Propose New Alimony Reform Formula
A “child support-esque” formula that would determine the amount of money awarded for alimony in Florida is now in the works with the state’s legislators. In contrast to the legislation that passed through the state House of Representatives and Senate two years ago that was ultimately vetoed by the governor, this new plan, proposed… Read More »
Domestic Violence and Child Custody
Judges in family court understand the effect that domestic violence can have on a child, and as a result they are often hesitant to give custody to a parent or guardian that has a history of abusive behavior. Research has shown that the biggest risk factor for family violence to pass from one generation… Read More »
Florida Void Marriages
While Florida does not specifically have a law regarding annulment of marriage, it does state when a marriage is considered void or voidable. The courts in the state do make a point of distinction between the two types, and if your marriage is found to be void or voidable you can face similar issues… Read More »
Temporary Orders in Divorce Cases
Divorce cases can take months or years to be finalized in court, and unfortunately there are more immediate short-term decisions that must be figured out before the process is finished. As a result, a family law judge has the power to adjudicate these decisions in the form of temporary orders that last for the… Read More »
Alimony Reform Likely Proposed Again in 2015
Alimony reform is one of the hottest topics of debate happening across the country, and many states have revised their laws regarding spousal support in the last few years. Florida is in the midst of a contentious debate over whether permanent, or lifetime, alimony should be eliminated as an option for spousal support, replaced… Read More »