Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce
When calculating Florida child support and alimony obligations, careful review of a party’s income and allowable deductions is important to ensure that a party is not overpaying or underpaying support. When a party is self-employed or has a complicated compensation scenario, it may be necessary to enlist an accountant to help with calculations and determination of income. The calculation of modified support was an issue in the case Graham v. Graham, 5D21-1389 (Fla. 5th DCA April 22, 2022).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce
Alimony and child support can be awarded on a temporary basis while a Florida family law case is pending. It is important that an order awarding temporary support specifies how much of the payment is for alimony and how much of it is for child support. This was an issue in the case Shaw v. Shaw, 4D21-2556 (Fla. 4th DCA April 6, 2022).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce
Can a spouse use funds in a joint account while a divorce is pending in Florida? Once a divorce case is filed, many courts in Florida have what is known as a status quo order. This order directs the parties not to disturb the status quo so that, for example, a spouse’s health insurance is not cancelled from one day to the next. This status quo rule may apply to funds in accounts. The use of cash is an issue discussed in the case Briggs v. Briggs, 1D21-1592 (Fla. 1st DCA April 20, 2022).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce
What is considered a marital asset or debt in Florida? Generally any assets or debts acquired from the date of marriage until the date of filing for divorce are considered marital and jointly-owned or owed. A tax refund that was given to the former husband after the filing of the petition for divorce was disputed as marital property in the case Padmore v. Padmore, 2D20-3312 (Fla. 2d DCA March 23, 2022).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce
Sometimes, a party may be required to pay interest to another party in a Florida divorce case if a payment is overdue. The rate of interest depends on if the parties had a contract specifying the rate. How is the interest calculated? This was an issue in the case Langsetmo v. Metza, 4D21-717 (Fla. 4th DCA March 9, 2022).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce
The terms of a Florida marital settlement agreement will be enforced under contract law. The unambiguous terms of a contract are enforceable as written, therefore it is important that the right words are used to convey the intent of the parties. A court cannot rewrite the terms of a valid and enforceable marital settlement agreement. This was an issue in the case Orth v. Orth, 3D21-458 (Fla. 3d DCA March 30, 2022).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce
The story of a Florida family law case is just one aspect of it. It is also important that whether a party has a lawyer or not, he or she follows the procedural rules in place to ensure that the court is able to hear his or her story. This was an issue in the case Preudhomme v. Bailey, et. al., 4D20-2370 (Fla. 4th DCA February 23, 2022).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce
How long does a party have to enforce a Florida divorce agreement or judgment? There is a time limit, called a statute of limitations. According to the Florida Statutes, “[a]n action on a judgment or decree of a court of record in this state” must be commenced “[w]ithin twenty years.” 1 § 95.11(1), Fla. Stat. (2020). Waiting too long to take action may result in a party not being able to obtain the relief he or she received from the court. This was an issue in the case Rai v. Rai, 5D21-751 (Fla. 5th DCA February 11, 2022).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Florida Divorce
What is a constructive trust in a Florida divorce? This is a remedy available to a party who claims ownership to property which is titled in someone else’s name. For example, a court may impose a constructive trust in favor of a spouse when a marital home is titled in the name of someone other than the spouses, such as in-laws or other relatives. This was an issue in the case Silvas v. Silvas, 4D21-373 (Fla. 4th DCA February 16, 2022).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Florida Divorce
When a party’s attorney withdraws from representation before trial, is this a basis for the court to grant a continuance of the trial? The answer depends on many factors, but generally, a court has discretion in determining if a continuance should be granted. This was one issue in the case Belanger v. Belanger, 4D21-1243 (Fla. 4th DCA February 16, 2022).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Florida Divorce
When a party to a Florida divorce is accused of vexatious litigation, it means they are being accused of taking positions that are unreasonable and/or not supported by the law. If a court finds that a party was vexatious, that party can be ordered to pay the other party’s attorney’s fees and costs. This was an issue in the case Alvarez v. Salazar, 4D20-1363 (Fla. 4th DCA February 9, 2022).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Florida Divorce
In a Florida divorce case, equitable distribution is usually something that needs to be decided, no matter how long the parties were married. Equitable distribution concerns the division of assets and debts that were acquired from the date of marriage until the date of filing for divorce. It also concerns assets and debts owned or owed separately by each spouse. This was one of the issues in the case Lifaite v. Charles, 4D21-1038 (Fla. 4th DCA February 9, 2022).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce
In order for a court to award attorney’s fees and costs to one party in a Florida divorce, competent and substantial evidence must be presented to the court by the party asking for the fees. This usually includes attorney invoices showing the specific rate of the attorney, the tasks performed by the attorney and the time spent on each task. This was an issue in the case Schreiber v. Schreiber 5D20-2684 (Fla. 5th DCA December 30, 2021).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce
As part of equitable distribution in a Florida divorce, the court is usually required to consider tax consequences in the division of assets and debts. If attorney’s fees are awarded in a divorce, a court can order that interest be paid. What interest rate is used? These were issues in the case Bathke v. Costley, 5D20-2522 (Fla. 5th DCA December 30, 2021).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce
What is a motion for disqualification in a Florida divorce case? This motion is one which argues that a person or entity should not be involved in the case because of a bias or prior representation which creates conflict. In the case Meruelo v. Meruelo, 3D21-2204 (Fla. 3d DCA January 5, 2022), this motion was filed to disqualify a forensic accountant hired by the wife in a divorce case.
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce
How many days of notice must be given before a trial proceeds in a Florida divorce case? According to the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure, a trial cannot be set less than 30 days from the date a notice for trial is issued. This was an issue in the case Damas v. Rappleye, 3D21-684 (Fla. 3d DCA December 29, 2021).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce
What are some things a court considers when awarding attorney’s fees and costs to a party in a Florida divorce case? One consideration is the reasonableness of the fee amount claimed by an attorney and the number of hours spent by the attorney on certain tasks. This was an issue in the case Haskell v. Haskell, 2D21-214 (Fla. 2d DCA January 21, 2022).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce
For many reasons, couples who are married may decide to separate but not file for divorce. What are the consequences of remaining married to someone to whom you do not intend to remain married? Since marriage creates joint legal obligations, waiting to divorce may open both parties to alimony and equitable distribution claims which may not have existed had the parties divorced at the time they separated. This was an issue in the case Fiala v. Fiala, 4D21-1185 (Fla. 4th DCA January 12, 2022).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce
When a party does not meet his or her obligations under a Florida marital settlement agreement, he or she may be held in contempt of court or face enforcement proceedings. Before a party can be held in contempt, the court must determine that the terms of an order are clear and definite so as to put both parties on notice of what they are required to do (or not do). This was an issue in the case Kovic v. Kovic, 4D21-55 (Fla. 4th DCA January 5, 2022).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce
Summary judgment as to certain issues in a Florida family law case can be granted. A summary judgment means there are no disputes as to material issues of fact, and therefore it is not necessary to have a trial, and the judge can just decide the merits of the case based on testimony and other evidence that has been provided. This was an issue in the case Rich v. Rich, et. al., 2D20-440 (Fla. 2d DCA January 14, 2022).
