Transferring an asset in lieu of paying monthly Florida child support

Transferring an asset in lieu of paying monthly Florida child support

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Support

As stated in the case Coffy v. Coffy, 4D19-3652 (Fla. 4th DCA April 28, 2021), “It is well-established under Florida law that parents cannot contract away their children’s right to support.” This means parents cannot agree that no child support will be paid when the Florida child support guidelines show support should be paid. In the Coffy case, the appellate court analyzed whether an agreement between the parties to transfer equity in a home to the former wife in lieu of monthly child support payments was appropriate.

Florida family law: Analysis of a motion to dismiss for forum non conveniens

Florida family law: Analysis of a motion to dismiss for forum non conveniens

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Support

When a party alleges that a forum chosen by the petitioner in a Florida family law case is inconvenient, the court must analyze factors pronounced in the case Kinney Sys., Inc. v. Cont’l Ins. Co., 674 So. 2d 86 (Fla. 1996). One of the factors to be considered is if an alternate, adequate forum exists. The former husband appealed an order denying his motion to dismiss for forum non conveniens in the case Kusayev v. Kusayev, 4D20-2576 (Fla. 4th DCA April 21, 2021).

Pay it Forward for National Making Life Beautiful Day!

Pay it Forward for National Making Life Beautiful Day!

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

June 11 is National Making Life Beautiful Day. According to National Day Calendar, this day is about celebrating “those who make life beautiful. Whether you’re creating beauty by building relationships or helping others achieve personal success, your actions create a ripple effect, making life beautiful not just for yourself, but for those around you, too.”

Prospective timesharing modification prohibited in Florida

Prospective timesharing modification prohibited in Florida

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody

In most cases, a parent may not relocate more than 50 miles from his or her current residence with the parties’ minor child without the written permission of the other parent or a court order. How does this provision affect active duty military service members who may have to relocate frequently due to military orders? This was an issue in the case Amiot v. Olmstead, 1D20-680 (Fla. 1st DCA May 11, 2021) in which the primary focus was on the trial court’s award of prospective time-sharing to the mother, an active duty servicemember, if she moved back to Florida.

Error to use gross income to calculate Florida child support

Error to use gross income to calculate Florida child support

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Support

Florida Statute Chp. 61.30 establishes the method by which a court is to calculate Florida child support. Many considerations go into calculating child support such as daycare and health insurance expenses, as well as deductions due to each parent in arriving at their respective incomes. The case Moody v. Moody, 1D20-778 (Fla. 1st DCA May 11, 2021) illustrates what happens when the Florida Statutes are not followed in calculating child support.

Disqualification of a lawyer in a Florida family law case

Disqualification of a lawyer in a Florida family law case

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce

What happens when one party files a motion to disqualify a lawyer in a Florida family law case? An example of disqualification is when one party alleges it would be unfair to have the other party represented by a certain lawyer because that lawyer also represented the alleging party in a separate but related matter. In the case Reuschel v. Reuschel, 1D20-1039 (Fla. 1st DCA May 14, 2021), the husband appealed an order he believed granted the wife’s motion to disqualify counsel.

Consideration of hidden assets and income in a Florida alimony modification

Consideration of hidden assets and income in a Florida alimony modification

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Alimony

When a party attempts to hide assets or income to avoid a Florida alimony obligation, this usually does not produce favorable results for that party. Requesting a modification of alimony requires parties to produce records of income and assets to show what has changed. In the case Gibbs v. Gibbs, 1D19-4030 (Fla. 1st DCA April 29, 2021), the appellate court reviewed the trial court’s denial of the former husband’s request to lower his alimony payments.

Recipes for your weekend

Recipes for your weekend

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

Get ready to carb load this weekend in celebration of National Donut Day! Try making your own donuts at home with our weekend recipe guide.

Consideration of parent's mental health records in Florida child custody case

Consideration of parent's mental health records in Florida child custody case

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody

Evidence of a parent’s mental health may be considered when a Florida parenting plan is being established or modified. If a parent objects to his or her mental health records being admitted into evidence or explored, the court must decide if the objection is valid or if it should be overruled. In the case Brooks v. Brooks, 1D20-2346 (Fla. 1st DCA April 20, 2021), the former husband appealed a final judgment of divorce based on the court’s reliance on his disability records.

Florida child support: How many months of reduced income is enough for modification?

Florida child support: How many months of reduced income is enough for modification?

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Support

For how long must income be reduced for a parent to qualify for a modification of child support in Florida? Under Florida law, in order for child support to be modified, there must be a showing of a substantial, material and permanent change in circumstances. For a change to be considered “permanent”, it usually must be more than some months, and not due to seasonal changes in income. This issue was explored in the case Arrington v. Arrington, 1D20-729 (Fla. 1st DCA April 20, 2021).

Extension of a Florida domestic violence injunction

Extension of a Florida domestic violence injunction

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Domestic Violence

Extending a Florida domestic violence injunction requires that the petitioner show that new acts of violence have occurred and that he or she is in reasonable fear of becoming a victim of domestic violence again. What constitutes a new act and reasonable fear? This was discussed in the case Frost v. Wilson, 2D19-4635 (Fla. 2d DCA April 9, 2021).

Honoring Memorial Day

Honoring Memorial Day

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Holidays

This Memorial Day and every day, we remember those who made a huge sacrifice in defending our country. May their memories be a blessing and may their loved ones be blessed.

Recipes for your weekend

Recipes for your weekend

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

It’s Memorial Day Weekend, and as we honor those who made a great sacrifice, we can spend time in their memory with loved ones surrounded by food, comfort and love. Here are some grilling recipes to try this weekend.

Florida divorce: Who gets the marital home?

Florida divorce: Who gets the marital home?

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce

Who gets the marital home in a Florida divorce? A court can award one party the home and order that party to pay equity to the other spouse. The court can also order that one spouse have sole possession of the property until their youngest child turns 18 and then the house be sold. Yet another option is to order sale of the home immediately and a split of the net proceeds between the parties. This was an issue in the case Ortiz v. Ortiz, 2D19-587 (Fla. 2d DCA April 7, 2021).

Florida divorce: Motions for continuance of trial

Florida divorce: Motions for continuance of trial

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce

How many continuances can a party seek in a Florida family law case? A continuance is a delay of a hearing date or other deadline in the case. There is really no limit, but the court has discretion to deny requests for delay that are repeated, are made in bad faith, and which cause prejudice to the other party. This was one of many issues raised in the case Apesteguy v. Keglevich, 3D20-60 (Fla. 3d DCA April 7, 2021).

Retroactive modification of Florida child support limited by filing date

Retroactive modification of Florida child support limited by filing date

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Support

Sometimes, even though a parenting plan says one parent has majority time-sharing and the other parent will pay child support, circumstances change, and the parent ordered to pay support may have full custody of the children because, for example, the other parent voluntarily leaves the children with the the parent or other circumstances arise. This was the case in Carmack v. Carmack, 5D20-297 (Fla. 5th DCA April 9, 2021).

Recipes for your weekend

Recipes for your weekend

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

We love pizza, and we love a party so today is one of the best days ever - National Pizza Party Day! Gather the family and make some unique pizzas at home (baked potato pizza, anyone?) with our weekend recipe lineup.

Florida stalking injunction reversed for lack of sufficient allegations

Florida stalking injunction reversed for lack of sufficient allegations

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Domestic Violence

“A person who willfully, maliciously, and repeatedly follows, harasses, or cyberstalks another person commits the offense of stalking . . . .” under § 784.048(2), Fla. Stat. ‘Harass means to engage in a course of conduct directed at a specific person which causes substantial emotional distress to that person and serves no legitimate purpose”, according to § 784.048(1)(a), Fla. Stat. A stalking injunction was the subject of the case Kendrick v. Glover, 1D20-104 (Fla. 1st DCA April 9, 2021).

Florida child support and alimony: In-kind payments from an employer in determining income

Florida child support and alimony: In-kind payments from an employer in determining income

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce

What income is considered in deciding how much to award in Florida alimony or child support? Florida Statute Chp. 61.30 lists payments that are considered income for purposes of calculating support. Included in that list are in-kind payments from an employer which reduce a party’s living expenses. This was a topic in the case Ortega v. Wood, 1D20-1534 (Fla. 1st DCA April 9, 2021).