Florida child support guidelines: accounting for children who are not part of the case

Florida child support guidelines: accounting for children who are not part of the case

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Support

Does a parent get a reduction for child support in Florida for child support paid for other children? The answer depends on many factors such as whether or not the support for the other children is court ordered, whether the other children are older are younger and whether a proceeding is for establishment versus modification of support. A father sought credit for two older children of whom he had custody when child support was calculated for his younger child in the case Robbins v. Kerns, 1D20-1310 (Fla. 1st DCA December 10, 2020).

Requesting a psychological evaluation in your Florida family law case

Requesting a psychological evaluation in your Florida family law case

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Family Law Procedure

Requesting a psychological evaluation of a parent in a Florida child custody case implicates constitutional privacy concerns. This is why Florida law requires that certain steps and analysis take place before a court can compel a parent to undergo psychological testing. The case Ludwigsen v. Ludwigsen, 2D20-1228 (Fla. 2d DCA December 2, 2020), highlights some of the issues for a court to consider in ordering a parent to be evaluated.

Recipes for your weekend

Recipes for your weekend

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in South Florida Family Events and Recipes

National Blonde Brownie Day and National Pie Day in one weekend?! Yes, please! Try our line up of sweet recipes in recognition of these treats.

Charging lien in Florida family law case requires positive settlement or judgment for client

Charging lien in Florida family law case requires positive settlement or judgment for client

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Family Law Procedure

What is a charging lien in a Florida family law case? This is a lien asserted by a lawyer against a client or former client concerning money owed by the client to the lawyer. There are specific requirements that must be met before a court can impose a charging lien in favor of a lawyer. The case Lubitz v. Schenden, 4D19-2420 (Fla. App. 2020) goes over those requirements.

Modification of a Florida parenting plan

Modification of a Florida parenting plan

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody

A party who wants to modify a Florida parenting plan has an “extraordinary burden” to show that there has been a substantial change in circumstances which warrants modification of time-sharing. This change must not have been contemplated at the time the parenting plan sought to be modified was established. In the case Lyles v. Guffey, 1D20-1159 (Fla. 1st DCA November 20, 2020), an appeal was taken concerning a request to modify time-sharing.

Preserving your right to appeal an error in a Florida family law judgment

Preserving your right to appeal an error in a Florida family law judgment

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Family Law Procedure

In a Florida divorce, parties are sometimes able to resolve their differences without the help of a mediator and without the court making a decision in their case. When the parties reach an agreement themselves, they might agree to announce in front of the judge while in court their agreement for the record. After this is done, the agreement is reduced to writing and signed by the parties or the judge enters an order memorializing the terms of the parties’ agreement. In the case Fine v. Fine, 4D20-395 (Fla. 4th DCA November 25, 2020), the former wife appealed the trial court’s failure to include in a final judgment certain terms announced by the parties in court.

Recipes for your weekend

Recipes for your weekend

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in South Florida Family Events and Recipes

How many of us are staying on track with our new year health resolutions? We are trying over here! Here are some healthier “pasta” alternatives for your weekend recipe picks.

Modification of Florida parenting plan requires finding by court of substantial change in circumstances

Modification of Florida parenting plan requires finding by court of substantial change in circumstances

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Child Custody

To modify a parenting plan in Florida, a court must make a finding that there has been a substantial change in circumstances which was not contemplated at the time of entry of the final judgment. Additionally, the court must find a modification is in the best interest of a child - a parenting plan usually cannot be changed because a parent changes his or her mind. A modification was sought in the case Romeo v. Romeo, 2D19-3237 (Fla. 2d DCA November 20, 2020).

Can parties agree to no child support in Florida?

Can parties agree to no child support in Florida?

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Support

Can parties agree to have a parent pay less than the Florida child support guidelines state? Under Florida law, child support is a payment that belongs to the child which is paid to the custodial parent as a trustee. In the case Newman v. Newman, 2D19-1672 (Fla. 2d DCA October 23, 2020), the former husband alleged he had an agreement with the former wife not to pay child support despite a court order requiring him to do so.

Filing your Florida divorce case in the correct county

Filing your Florida divorce case in the correct county

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce

How do you determine the county in which you should file your Florida divorce case when after separation, spouses move to different counties? Florida law states that venue is appropriate in the county in which the parties last resided together during their intact marriage. This was an issue in the case Huber v. Huber, 3D20-1228 (Fla. 3d DCA October 21, 2020).

Court rules children should return to Brazil in Hague Convention child custody case

Court rules children should return to Brazil in Hague Convention child custody case

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody

The Hague Convention applies to international child custody cases in which an accusation of parental abduction or interference with a child custody right is at issue. As stated in the case Cruz de Carvalho v. Carvalho Pereira, 1D20-523 (Fla. 1st DCA November 16, 2020): “The Convention’s central operating feature is the return remedy. When a child under the age of 16 has been wrongfully removed or retained, the country to which the child has been brought must ‘order the return of the child forthwith,’ unless certain exceptions apply.”

Recipes for your weekend (National Bubble Bath Day Edition!)

Recipes for your weekend (National Bubble Bath Day Edition!)

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in South Florida Family Events and Recipes

We hope your first week of 2021 has brought positive vibes and good changes. Keep that energy going by celebrating National Bubble Bath Day! Here are some bath recipes that may help you find that inner balance.

Divorcing an incarcerated spouse in Florida

Divorcing an incarcerated spouse in Florida

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce

How does a divorce happen in Florida if one spouse is incarcerated? Being incarcerated does not stop a dissolution of marriage from proceeding in Florida so long as the imprisoned spouse is given the opportunity to participate in the case. In Weston v. Weston, 1D19-3727 (Fla. 1st DCA November 6, 2020) the issue of an incarcerated spouse’s opportunity to participate in the final hearing was at issue.

Feuding neighbors and a Florida domestic violence injunction

Feuding neighbors and a Florida domestic violence injunction

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Domestic Violence

Florida courts have routinely held that it is inappropriate to use a Florida domestic violence injunction to attempt to keep the peace between neighbors. When neighbors feud, this can cause stress and disturb a person’s quiet enjoyment of his or her home. However, this disturbance may not be enough to support a Florida domestic violence injunction. We review this in the case Cash v. Gagnon, 4D19-1302 (Fla. 4th DCA November 4, 2020).

Florida domestic violence injunction on behalf of a minor child

Florida domestic violence injunction on behalf of a minor child

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Domestic Violence

When a parent is accused of abusing a child, it is possible to petition for a Florida domestic violence injunction on behalf of the child. If an injunction is entered, the parent who is determined to be abusive may lose his or her time-sharing. The distinction between a termination of parental rights and a permanent injunction was highlighted in the case Helweg v. Bugby ex rel. S.J.H., 1D19-4093 (Fla. 1st DCA November 4, 2020).

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Holidays

May this year bring you all that you desire! Here is to seeing dreams come true and to continued love and happiness among family and friends. We are grateful for your support and look forward to continuing to serve you.

Florida Family Law Procedure: Deadline to order transcript for exceptions to report of general magistrate

Florida Family Law Procedure: Deadline to order transcript for exceptions to report of general magistrate

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Family Law Procedure

What happens if a party wants to appeal a general magistrate’s ruling in a Florida family law case? First the party is usually required to file a motion for exceptions to the general magistrate’s report within a certain amount of time. Doing so allows the trial judge to review the general magistrate’s ruling and decide whether or not an error was committed. We review this procedure in the case Langsetmo v. Metza, 4D19-2138 (Fla. 4th DCA November 4, 2020).

Florida child custody order must contain "clear and precise" language for enforceability purposes

Florida child custody order must contain "clear and precise" language for enforceability purposes

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody

A parent may be held in contempt of a Florida parenting plan if he or she is willfully refusing to follow its terms. To show that a parent is intentionally refusing to abide by a court-ordered parenting plan, one requirement is that the court-ordered plan have clear and concise terms. This is illustrated in the case Lynne v. Landsman, 1D20-350 (Fla. 1st DCA November 4, 2020).