Miami family law attorney blog
Viewing entries tagged
Miami Child Custody Lawyer
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody
When a child custody case has been filed in two different states concerning the same child, we look to the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act to guide us on how to proceed. Most times, the courts of each state are required to communicate with each other and include the parties in the communication. This was an issue in the case Justice v. Guerrero-Justice, 3D24-1248 (Fla. 3d DCA February 5, 2025).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody
What is the effect of a default in a Florida child custody case? Despite a default, a court must find that parenting plan is in the best interest of a child. Rather than relying on a technicality such as a default, the court must still determine that, for example, a change in time-sharing is in the best interest of a child. This was an issue in the case Oria v. Velastegui, 3D24-1169 (Fla. 3d DCA December 18, 2024).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody
The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (“Hague Convention”), and the International Child Abduction Remedies Act (“ICARA”) provide remedies for parents whose children have been wrongfully removed from their custody and taken to another country. There is presumption in favor of returning a child wrongfully removed, but those presumptions can be overcome by certain defenses and evidence. This was an issue in the case De La Cruz v. Garcia, 4D2024-0823 (Fla. 4th DCA December 4, 2024).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody
Issue about which court has the authority to rule in a child custody case when the parties have ties to more than one state are governed by the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA). The aim of this Act is to reduce jurisdictional conflicts and promote the best interest of a child. Enforcement of this act was an issue in the case Dorvil v. Atwell, 3D24-0029 (Fla. 3d DCA December 4, 2024).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody
If a parent moves to another state before a petition for divorce is filed in Florida, can the parent be ordered to return under a pick-up order? Relocation is governed by Fla. Stat. Chp. 61.13001, and sets forth the parameters under which a pick-order can be entered. This was an issue in the case Grigsby v. Grigsby, 1D2024-1336 (Fla. 1st DCA December 4, 2024).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody
When one parent makes timesharing difficult for the other parent in a Florida child custody case, this is a factor the court can consider in creating a parenting plan. There are many other factors a court must consider as well with the primary focus being the best interest of the child. This was an issue in the case Giacomaro v. Brossia, 4D2024-0824 (Fla. 4th DCA October 16, 2024).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody
Can a court award shared parental responsibility and ultimate decision-making authority at the same time? Shared parental responsibility means both parents must confer and jointly make decisions regarding their child. Ultimate decision-making authority means that although the parties must confer, only one parent ultimately makes the decision if they disagree. This was an issue in the case Johnson v. Johnson, 4D2023-3111 (Fla. 4th DCA September 4, 2024).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody
Can a parent be held in contempt for attending a child’s extracurricular activities on days that the parent does not have time-sharing? The answer depends on what the parenting plan says. Most parenting plans do not prohibit a parent from doing this. This was an issue in the case Izard v. Bois, 4D2023-2502 (Fla. 4th DCA July 31, 2024).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody
Inconsistencies in a Florida family law order are subject to reversal by an appellate court. In the case Landero v. Landero, 2d2023-2014 (Fla. 2d DCA July 19, 2024), there were errors concerning the child support calculation and the time-sharing schedule.
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody
A temporary change in time-sharing can be ordered if there is an issue affecting the best interest of the children. At hearings regarding child custody issues, both parties must be given the opportunity to present evidence regarding the best interest of the children. This was an issue in the case Whitacre v. Ragan, 2D2023-1906 (Fla. 2d DCA June 21, 2024).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody
How does the entry of a default affect a Florida child custody case? A default can be entered when a party fails to respond to a petition on time, and can also be used as a sanction when a party is not following court orders. The usual consequence of a default is that the party against whom it has been entered admits the allegations in the petition. This was an issue in the case Mendez v. Mendez, 4D2024-0113 (Fla. 4th DCA July 10, 2024).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody
Florida law has consistently held that a court is not permitted to delegate its decision-making authority to third parties when it comes to child custody issues. This is because the court, and not other professionals, are charged with making decisions that affect the best interest of a child. This was an issue in the case Malley v. Malley, 4D2023-0332 (Fla. 4th DCA June 20, 2024).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody
The Florida relocation statute contains requirements which must be followed to avoid dismissal or denial of a request for relocation. One such requirement is that if a request to move is based on a job offer that has been reduced to writing, the offer must be attached to the petition. This was an issue in the case Lane v. Fuller, 5D2023-1943 (Fla. 5th DCA June 7, 2024).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody
What happens when a judge’s written ruling does not match the judge’s oral ruling in a Florida family law case? Usually, a judge will orally announce a ruling at a hearing to the parties and then a written order documenting the ruling will be entered later. Inconsistencies between the oral and written orders were an issue in the case Silver v. Goodrich, 4D2024-0259 (Fla. 4th DCA June 5, 2024).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody
Delay in entering a Florida family law final judgment may require that the court conduct another trial. This is especially true where children are involved. In a recent case in which the court entered a parenting plan one year after it held a trial, the appellate court reversed the final judgment because it was not based on evidence concerning the best interest of the children.
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody
Prior Florida case law has held that a parent achieving sobriety may not be enough to constitute a change in circumstances that permits modification of a parenting plan that restricts the parent’s time-sharing based on substance abuse. However, a recent case clarifies this standard.
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody
Many Florida family law agreements such as prenuptial agreements, parenting plans, and marital settlement agreements contain clauses that have both parties waiving payment of attorney’s fees by the other party. Are these waivers enforceable? Some are not, and this was an issue in the case Bauman v. Agudelo, 3D23-1954 (Fla. 3d DCA May 8, 2024).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody
When parties enter a parenting plan in Florida, and it is ratified by a court order, there are limited situations in which that parenting plan can be cancelled. This was an issue in the case Chan v. Addison, 6D23-2856 (Fla. 6th DCA April 19, 2024).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody
Who pays the guardian ad litem’s fees in a Florida child custody case? A court may apportion responsibility for the guardian’s fees based on the financial standing of each party. Payment of these fees was an issue in the case Levy v. Levy, 3D22-1399 (Fla. 3d DCA January 31, 2024).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody
Can a guardian ad litem in a Florida child custody case determine what the parenting plan will be? Guardians ad litem play an important role in helping a court understand what issues are present between parties and the best interest of a child. But the court cannot delegate its decision-making to the guardian. This was an issue in Merlihan v. Skinner, 4D2022-2079 (Fla. 4th DCA March 13, 2024).
