Many parties have children outside of the context of marriage, and while in some cases paternity is not at issue, in others, legal action is necessary to define a child’s parentage. Once a man has been legally established as the father of a child, pursuant to Florida law, it is…
While people do not typically think of divorce actions and a person’s health as being related, a party’s health can play a prevalent role in dissolution proceedings. For example, if one spouse alleges they cannot work due to a chronic condition or that the opposing party caused them to suffer…
Many people who come to the decision to end their marriage want it to be over as soon as possible. Others, though, will engage in behavior that ultimately delays the resolution of the case. The Florida courts will grant requests to continue divorce trials in some instances, but only if…
When a couple that runs a business together decides to end their marriage, one spouse will frequently buy out the other’s business interests. In cases in which the relationship between the parties is contentious, the court may have to order the party that sold their shares not to interfere with…
While many people assume that women are the primary caregivers for their children, it is not unusual for a husband and wife to decide that the husband will stay at home to care for the children while the wife works. As a result, if a marriage terminates because the husband…
Many people put money into retirement savings accounts during the course of their employment. While retirement plans can only be in one person’s name, income deposited into a retirement account during a marriage is generally considered marital property and is subject to equitable distribution unless otherwise agreed. As discussed in…
Divorce proceedings are sometimes acrimonious, with one of the most common points of contention being how assets and obligations should be shared. While court assistance is usually required to resolve such disputes, spouses are free to reach an arrangement on their own. In many cases, such agreements will emerge over…
When a couple that has children decides to end their marriage, they will generally task the court with determining their paternal responsibility, such as how custody should be split. Prior to making custody decisions, courts consider a number of criteria, including whether one partner has committed acts of domestic abuse. Regardless of whether another court believes…
Broadly speaking, Florida courts have the authority to grant alimony and establish the proper amount of maintenance. However, the courts must follow specific rules, and if they award alimony outside of the prescribed bounds without good reason, their decisions may be overturned. A Florida court recently reviewed grounds for overturning…
While it may not happen often, it is possible for a party to a divorce action passes away while the case is pending. In such cases, the courts are likely to dismiss the case because a petition for dissolution of marriage is rendered irrelevant if one of the parties is no longer…