Florida divorce: requesting a continuance after an attorney withdraws

Florida divorce: requesting a continuance after an attorney withdraws

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).

Recipes for your weekend

Recipes for your weekend

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

This weekend is full of treats with National Pound Cake Day (today!) and National Oreo Cookie Day on Sunday. Let’s see what we can make of that in our weekend recipe guide.

Attorney's Fees in a Florida divorce for vexatious litigation

Attorney's Fees in a Florida divorce for vexatious litigation

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).

Florida Divorce: Equitable Distribution of child support paid for child from previous relationship

Florida Divorce: Equitable Distribution of child support paid for child from previous relationship

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).

One incident of dating violence may not be enough to support Florida domestic violence injunction

One incident of dating violence may not be enough to support Florida domestic violence injunction

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Domestic Violence

A Florida dating violence injunction can be obtained when a victim of violence has reasonable cause to believe he or she is in imminent danger of becoming the victim of another act of dating violence. See Florida Statute Chp. 784.046(2)(b). What qualifies as “reasonable cause”? This was an issue in the case Santos v. Bartoletta, 2D20-3652 (Fla. 2d DCA February 2, 2022).

Video evidence in a Florida domestic violence case

Video evidence in a Florida domestic violence case

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Domestic Violence

What evidence is admissible in a Florida domestic violence case? Whether or not evidence is admissible depends on a variety of factors, including the type of evidence and the ability to authenticate evidence. This was an issue in the case Payne v. Koch, 5D21-2420 (Fla. 5th DCA January 28, 2021) in which a domestic violence injunction was sought by a father individually and on behalf of his child against the child’s mother.

Recipes for your weekend

Recipes for your weekend

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

This weekend brings a unique but tasty line-up of national food days - National Clam Chowder Day, National Pistachio Day, and National Strawberry Day. Whichever you prefer, we have you covered with our recipe guide.

Florida divorce: Attorney's fee award must be supported by competent and substantial evidence

Florida divorce: Attorney's fee award must be supported by competent and substantial evidence

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).

Florida divorce: tax consequences in equitable distribution and interest on attorney's fee awards

Florida divorce: tax consequences in equitable distribution and interest on attorney's fee awards

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).

Florida alimony: Imputation of income earned almost 20 years ago

Florida alimony: Imputation of income earned almost 20 years ago

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Alimony

If a party has not worked for many years, what level of income should be imputed to that party for purposes of calculating Florida alimony? Many factors go into determining if and how much income should be imputed, including the educational and occupational history of the party to whom income is being imputed. This was an issue in the case Poveromo v. Poveromo, 5D19-3466 (Fla. 5th DCA January 21, 2022).

Durational alimony in Florida cannot exceed length of marriage

Durational alimony in Florida cannot exceed length of marriage

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Alimony

What are the different types of alimony in Florida? Alimony is discussed in Fla. Stat. Chp. 61.08, and generally there is bridge-the-gap, rehabilitative, durational, permanent and lump sum alimony. Which type the court will award depends on factors in each case such as the length of the marriage, the age of each party, the health of each party and more. Durational alimony was an issue in the case Pringle v. Pringle, 3D21-754 (Fla. 3d DCA January 19, 2022).

Recipes for your weekend

Recipes for your weekend

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

National Drink Wine Day is today, friends! How about also cooking with wine? Check out our weekend recipe guide that incorporates this libation.

Florida divorce: Disqualifying a forensic accountant

Florida divorce: Disqualifying a forensic accountant

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.

Enforcing an order to pay Florida child support

Enforcing an order to pay Florida child support

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Support

When a party wins an appeal in a Florida family law case, what happens next? The appellate court usually issues instructions to the trial court in its order. At that point, “the trial court’s role is ‘purely ministerial, and its function is limited to obeying the appellate court’s order or decree.’” J.M. v. A.J.D., 3D20-1118 (Fla. 3d DCA January 12, 2022) (citing Torres v. Jones, 652 So. 2d 893, 894 (Fla. 3d DCA 1995)).

Award of Attorney's Fees and Costs in Florida Divorce Case

Award of Attorney's Fees and Costs in Florida Divorce Case

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).

Recipes for your weekend

Recipes for your weekend

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

It’s Super Bowl weekend! You may need some last-minute game bite recipes, and we have you covered with our weekend recipe guide.

Florida domestic violence injunction: Stalking at workplace

Florida domestic violence injunction: Stalking at workplace

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Domestic Violence

When examining whether or not stalking occurred in a Florida domestic violence case, a court looks at whether or not there is a pattern of harassment, among other factors. Does a person taking a job at the same place as an ex romantic partner establish a pattern of harassment? This was an issue in the case Ahern v. Leon, 4D21-539 (Fla. 4th DCA January 19, 2022).

Dissolving a Florida domestic violence injunction after 22 years

Dissolving a Florida domestic violence injunction after 22 years

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Domestic Violence

What does a court consider when someone asks for a Florida domestic violence injunction to be dissolved? In order to dissolve an injunction based on changed circumstances, the person asking for this must “demonstrate that the scenario underlying the injunction no longer exists so that continuation of the injunction would serve no valid purpose.” Bak v. Bak, 4D20-1676 (Fla. 4th DCA January 19, 2022) (internal citation omitted).

Unpleasant interactions may not be enough to support Florida stalking injunction

Unpleasant interactions may not be enough to support Florida stalking injunction

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Domestic Violence

What distinguishes unpleasant behavior from stalking? The distinction is important since a Florida domestic violence injunction cannot be entered based merely on unpleasant interactions with someone. To obtain a stalking injunction, a person must show in part that he or she is under emotional distress because of the actions of someone else. This was an issue in the case Hasan v. Rivera, 4D20-1598 (Fla. 4th DCA January 12, 2022).