Author Archives: Jay Butchko
You Need These 3 Experts to Facilitate Collaborative Divorce
Contrary to popular belief, collaborative divorce does not necessarily mean that you have to “collaborate” with your soon-to-be former spouse without any assistance from professionals who can help facilitate the process. Collaborative law allows you to bypass the need to have a judge determine the outcome, but it does not require you to work… Read More »
What a Florida Prenuptial Agreement Can & Cannot Do
An increasing number of Florida couples are signing prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, but many do not realize that prenups and postnups do not protect from all kinds of legal disputes that might arise between a married couple in the course of divorce proceedings. Yes, there are many things prenuptial and postnuptial agreements can do,… Read More »
A Quick Guide to Child Relocation for the Moving and Non-Moving Parents in Florida
Florida’s family law courts treat relocation rather seriously. In the Sunshine State, a parent with custody who wants to move a child more than 50 miles away for over 60 days must inform the other parent and obtain consent. If the other parent refused to give his or her consent, the relocating parent must… Read More »
Can You Secure Alimony Payments After the Payer Spouse’s Death?
Alimony payments provide financial support to ensure that the lower-earning spouse can maintain the standard of living established during her or his marriage with the payer spouse. But, as you may know, under Florida’s family law, the higher-earning spouse’s obligation to pay spousal support automatically terminates upon the death of either spouse. Life can… Read More »
What Are You Expected to Do in Florida’s Collaborative Divorce?
Collaborative Law is a trendier, healthier, and cheaper alternative to traditional divorce litigation. While everyone knows that you get more control over your divorce through the collaborative divorce process, people are slightly confused about what is expected of them during this process. Unlike in the traditional divorce trial, where the judge has the authority… Read More »
How Do Domestic Violence Injunctions Protect Victims from Abusers in Florida?
In Florida, victims of domestic violence can obtain injunctions against their abusers. The word “injunction” refers to a legal order issued by a judge to restrain or prohibit the abuser from engaging in certain behaviors with or toward the petitioner. Domestic violence injunctions are enforceable by police and law enforcement, which means the subject… Read More »
What Documents Do You Need for Your Florida Child Support Hearing?
If you have been summoned to court for a scheduled child support hearing in Orlando or elsewhere in Florida, you may be wondering what documents you will need to bring to the Department of Revenue (DOR) hearing. DOR hearings, which are held to calculate and enforce a child support order, require a court… Read More »
9 Tips to Successfully Negotiate Alimony with Your Former Spouse
No one is ever prepared to discuss alimony, even those who have been contemplating their divorce for months before announcing their plans. “How do I discuss alimony with my soon-to-be ex-spouse after he/she has just found out that we are getting divorced?” many people think. Yes, discussing alimony with your spouse can be tough… Read More »
How to ‘Split’ Marital Residence in Florida Divorce Mediation?
Splitting marital residence when obtaining a dissolution of marriage in the state of Florida is one of the most complicated aspects of a divorce. Florida family law uses the term “marital residence” to refer to the home where the married couple resided together before filing for divorce. Often, the marital residence is the most… Read More »
Florida Lawmakers Want to Change State Laws to Curb High Divorce Rates
Florida lawmakers are looking to change the divorce process to tackle the state’s crippling divorce rates. The so-called “Florida Guide to a Healthy Marriage” bill, which can be viewed on the Florida House of Representatives website, was filed by Rep. Clay Yarborough, a Republican state legislator, on October 9. Under the proposed legislation, Floridians… Read More »
