At Family Diplomacy: A Collaborative Law Firm, we work to help families resolve disputes without fighting in court. We do this via Collaborative Family Law Practice, mediation, and unbundled legal services. Most clients appreciate this approach, as we spare them from the trauma and expense of court battles.
A client recently left a review on our Google page. You can find that review below.
Being a supportive parent can oftentimes be challenging, but you and your transgender child may have come to the conclusion that it is time for a legal name change. Is it possible to change a transgender child’s name to match his or her identity?
So long as both legal parents are in agreement, in most circumstances you can change your minor child’s legal name.
In Florida, legal name changes are accomplished through the court system. Accordingly, you will need to petition a court in the county in which you live for your child’s name change. The petition must include information such as:
Family Diplomacy: A Collaborative Law Firm proudly announces the opening of an office in the heart of Downtown St. Petersburg. We do so on June 1, 2020, as we celebrate the tenth anniversary of our firm and the fifth anniversary of our dedication to resolve family disputes exclusively out of court.
Our new office is located at 475 Central Avenue, Suite 205, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701. We are in the historic S.H. Kress & Co. Building, situated on the corner of Central Avenue and 5th Street South. The Kress building was built in 1927, influenced by the Beaux-Arts movement, and served as a five and dime store until 1981. The building is located within the Downtown St. Petersburg Historic District, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 1, 2001.
We also maintain our office in Downtown Tampa, located at 412 E. Madison Street, Suite 824, Tampa, Florida 33602.
Additionally, we are accepting matters throughout Florida. Read more →
We at Family Diplomacy are fortunate to work with good people going through tough times day in and day out. We are truly honored when a client takes the time to post a review of our services. The review below was posted by a former client on Avvo.com:
I recently had the pleasure to speak via zoom with a Collaborative Law class at the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. I was invited by Joshua Jones, who is a Visiting Assistant Clinical Professor of Law.
During the class, I was asked to talk about a whole variety of issues related to Collaborative Divorce and Family Law, including the following:
Most people think of divorce as a declaration of war. That is not the way it has to be. Even if there are feelings of anger during separation, parents can work together to determine how they will continue to work together towards the best interests of their children.
In the link to the video below, Anne Lucas, Board Member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, interviews Nikki DeBartolo and Ben Heldfond of Tampa Bay. They went through a Collaborative Divorce, and they outlined their experience in their book, Our Happy Divorce.
I recently had the opportunity to interview ADR legend Forrest “Woody” Mosten. Woody has been on the forefront of Mediation and Collaborative Practice and is the founder of Unbundled Legal Services. Woody also happens to be a friend and mentor of mine and my co-author of “Building A Successful Collaborative Family Law Practice” published by the American Bar Association in 2018. You can find the video below.
You can find the Peacemaker Practice Self Survey reproduced below.
PEACEMAKER PRACTICE SELF-SURVEY
Forrest S. Mosten and Kevin Scudder[1]
Peacemaker Professionals are lawyers, mental health professionals, and financial professionals who deliver services to clients in a number of roles: Advisor, Information Provider, Organizer, Legal Counselor, Mediator, Evaluator, and other forms as service-provider.
We at Family Diplomacy appreciate all of our clients’ reviews. Recently, a client left a review on Avvo.com.
Please note that every family’s case is different, and we cannot guaranty that your family’s outcome will be the same or similar.
Posted by Stephen
They made the experience like working with family, they explained everything so that I understood anything that I needed to know. I always felt as though they always had my best interests in mind on a personal level.
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We are open during COVID-19. We invite you to contact us to learn how we can help you.
Adam B. Cordover is a leader in the international collaborative family law movement. He is co-author of an American Bar Association book on Collaborative Family Law Practice, and he is a member of the board of the International Academy of Collaborative Practice.
Joseph Maldonado-Passage has been known by many names. Tiger King. Joe Exotic. Joseph Schreibvogel. But the legal name, according to reports, of this convicted felon whose story has become a Netflix obsession is Joseph Maldonado-Passage.
The Tiger King’s surname is in honor of a late husband and a current husband. Reports are not clear whether his name was legally changed via marriage or through a court process. Regardless, if you are a Florida resident, chances are that you are eligible for a name change.
Twelfth Circuit Chief Judge Kimberly C. Bonner last week signed an Administrative Order on Parenting Procedures in the Family Division During COVID-19 Pandemic. The Administrative Order covers divorce and parenting/custody matters in Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto Counties.
In essence, the Administrative Order directs parents to follow any parenting plan that has been established and cooperate in making alternate arrangements if exchanges were to take place at now-closed schools or daycare. If a parenting plan has not yet been established, the Order directs parents to permit and facilitate access of children to the other parent. The Administrative Order reads, in part, as follows:
WHEREAS, the World Health Organization has declared the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) a pandemic, the Governor of Florida has declared a state of emergency exists, and the Surgeon General and State Health Officer have declared a public health emergency exists, and the Florida State Courts must take steps to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on legal proceedings and participants in those legal proceedings; and
WHEREAS, since March 17,2020, the Florida Supreme Court has issued various Emergency Administrative Orders found at https://www.floridasupremecourt.org/Emergency , which include ordering the cancellation or postponement of all non-essential in-person hearings, and this court entered Administrative Order 2020-4.2, setting forth COVID-19 Emergency Procedures and Mission Essential Functions; and
WHEREAS, on April 1, 2020, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis entered Executive Order 20-91, referred to as a “Safer at Home” order, which orders all persons in Florida to limit their movements and personal interactions outside of their home to only those necessary to obtain or provide essential services or conduct essential activities; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to reduce the number of “emergency” filings and hearings in family division cases until non-essential in-person hearings resume; and
WHEREAS, it is in the best interests of the parties and child(ren) that parents continue to perform their duties and responsibilities of co-parenting, share the additional responsibilities of parenting through this time, and that the parties comply with all existing court orders and court rules; and
NOW THEREFORE, pursuant to the authority vested in me as Chief Judge of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit of Florida, under Rule 2.215 of the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration, it is hereby ORDERED:
