As I wrote in a previous post, it is important that parties in a family law matter (or any matter) act in a civil manner while in a courtroom. Please do not follow the example of the wife in this Divorce Court clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpBD97Cq_tkYou should never interrupt an opposing party–and you should especially not interrupt a presiding judge–even if that interruption comes in the form of song.
If a circuit court in Miami-Dade county ordered a parent to pay child support, that order may be enforced in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Polk, Hernando, Manatee, or any other county in Florida (so long as one party lives in that county). Along the same lines, alimony awards entered in one Florida county may be enforced in another Florida county.
Section 61.17, Florida Statutes, provides the basis for such enforcement.
Unless one or both parties resided in Florida for at least six months prior to the filing of a petition for dissolution of marriage, a Florida judge will not grant the divorce. This residency requirement is governed by section 61.021, Florida Statutes.
However, there is an exception to the residency requirement for members of the United States Armed Forces. A member of the military (or his or her spouse) who is not currently in Florida may petition for divorce in Florida if he or she (i) was a Florida resident prior to entering the military and (ii) never established a permanent residence elsewhere. Even if the military member had not lived in Florida prior to entering the service, he or she may still be able to file for divorce in Florida if he or she is deployed but has an intent to remain a permanent Florida resident. Such intent may be evidenced by the following: (i) Florida voter registration; (ii) ownership of a Florida home; or (iii) registration of a vehicle in Florida.
Rule 12.285, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, requires each party to a family law matter to disclose certain financial information to the other party. Disclosure is strictly enforced in cases with money at issue, including child support, alimony, and equitable distribution or property division. Parties are required to follow Rule 12.285’s disclosure requirements in two ways: (i) providing a financial affidavit; and (ii) exchanging certain documents (also known as mandatory disclosure).
MANDATORY DISCLOSURE
(a) Application.
(1) Scope. This rule shall apply to all proceedings within the scope of these rules except proceedings involving adoption, simplified dissolution, enforcement, contempt, injunctions for domestic, repeat, dating, or sexual violence, and uncontested dissolutions when the respondent is served by publication and does not file an answer. Additionally, no financial affidavit or other documents shall be required under this rule from a party seeking attorneys’ fees, suit money, or costs, if the basis for the request is solely under section 57.105, Florida Statutes, or any successor statute. Except for the provisions as to financial affidavits and child support guidelines worksheets, any portion of this rule may be modified by order of the court or agreement of the parties.
I just came across an article that discusses a study from Florida State University researchers about how divorce affects a child’s future relationships. The researchers conclude that children of divorced parents are more likely to become divorced themselves for a myriad of reasons, including the fact that children learn relationship skills from their parents. The article states the following:
Section 61.08, Florida Statutes, and relevant case law, provides for several different types of alimony awards. The likelihood of receiving each type of award depends on several different factors, including the need of one spouse for support, the ability of the other spouse to pay for that support, and the length of the marriage. Below is a brief description of available types of alimony:
An article from Time Magazine recounts some horror stories and tales of caution emanating from the use of Facebook and other social networking sites.
A good general rule: don’t post anything that you would be embarrassed to have your grandmother see. This includes the following:
Pope Benedict XVI Calls for Christian Names (Photo from EPA via The Daily Telegraph)
As celebrities have gotten much attention for giving their children names such as Apple, Brooklyn, and Princess, Pope Benedict XVI called for parents to give their children traditional Christian names, The Daily Telegraph reports.
Section 61.21 of the Florida Statutes requires each party in a case that involves children and custody/time-sharing issues to attend a four-hour parenting course. This “Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course” gives parents the opportunity to learn about, among other topics, how their court action may affect the emotional well-being of their children.
You should note that, except in very limited circumstances, a judge will not enter a final judgment until both parties have (i) attended the course and (ii) filed a certificate of completion with the clerk of the court.
