Miami family law attorney blog
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Support
If paternity is contested in a Florida child support case that is being heard by a hearing officer, can the hearing officer rule on this disputed issue? According to Fla. Fam. L. R. P. 12.491(e), “A support enforcement hearing officer does not have the authority to hear contested paternity cases.” This was an issue in the case DOR v. Harris, 1D2025-0809 (Fla. 1st DCA October 15, 2025).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Support
When the Department of Revenue (DOR) is involved in a Florida child support case, can the parties privately resolve their child support dispute without involving DOR? Sometimes, DOR is owed retroactive support due to the obligee parent receiving public benefits, so it may not always be possible to leave DOR out of agreements or other resolutions. This was an issue in the case DOR v. Serwe, 6D2025-0892 (Fla. 6th DCA October 3, 2025).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce
If parties agree to resolve an issue before trial, can the trial court make rulings that may contradict the agreement? In the case Taha v. Hassan, 6D2024-1270 (Fla. 6th DCA October 3, 2025), the parties entered a stipulation regarding equitable distribution, yet the trial court ordered the husband to make an equalizing payment to the wife for the husband’s alleged dissipation of marital assets.
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody
When a final judgment that orders a timesharing schedule fails to make findings regarding the best interest of a child, it may be reversed. This was an issue in the case Tucker v. Adams, 5D2025-0937 (Fla. 5th DCA October 3, 2025).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Holidays
Happy Diwali! May the light of Diwali illuminate every corner of your life with abundant happiness, peace and success.
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce
When a spouse pays expenses for the other spouse while a divorce is pending such as mortgage, utilities and other living expenses, that spouse should receive credit for those payments toward retroactive support ordered. This was an issue in the case Warner v. Warner, 5D2024-1274 (Fla. 5th DCA October 3, 2025).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Support
How are social security disability dependent benefits treated in calculating Florida child support? In a recent case, the court credited these payments to the mother’s income, and the father appealed. The case is Cruz v. DOR, 4D2024-2179 (Fla. 4th DCA October 8, 2025).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Family Law Procedure
In order for a party to be held in contempt in a Florida family law proceeding, certain procedural steps are required. One important step is appropriate notice to the party alleged to be in contempt. This was an issue in the case Azzam v. Diaz de la Portilla, 3D25-1428 (Fla. 3d DCA October 8, 2025).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Domestic Violence
When should a judge be disqualified from presiding over a Florida family law case? Florida law holds “Although a judge may form mental impressions and opinions during the course of hearing evidence, he or she may not prejudge the case.” Minaya v. State, 118 So. 3d 926, 929 (Fla. 5th DCA 2013). Disqualification of a judge was an issue in the case Meredith v. Meredith, 5D2025-0873 (Fla. 5th DCA September 26, 2025).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Family Law Procedure
A party who wants to challenge the other party’s right to take depositions in a Florida family law case may have to file a motion for a protective order. This was an issue in the case Delgado v. Miller, 3D25-1721 (Fla. 3d DCA October 1, 2025).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Family Law Procedure
Many Florida marital settlement agreements or other family law agreements have prevailing party clauses. These clauses indicate that if there is future litigation, the prevailing party will be awarded attorney’s fees to be paid by the other party. What if there is a “tie” and the court finds that no one prevailed? This was an issue in the case Pierre v. Honore, 3D25-0357 (Fla. 3d DCA October 1, 2025).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce
When a party disagrees with a court’s ruling on alimony and equitable distribution, what is the standard the appellate court uses to review these types of awards? This was an issue in the case Abbey v. Abbey, 3D2024-1622 (Fla. 3d DCA October 1, 2025).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce
How does a court determine the marital portion of a non-marital property that is not solely owned by a spouse? For example, a spouse may have purchased a home prior to the marriage and that spouse may own the property jointly with his or her parent. Therefore, depending on how the property is titled, the spouse may only own fifty percent of the property as his or her non-marital portion. This was an issue in the case Wilson v. Hurter, 2D2024-1954 (Fla. 2d DCA September 26, 2025).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce
Dividing retirement accounts in a Florida divorce case can present complications when the language of a marital settlement agreement is open to different interpretations. Division of a military retirement account was an issue in Rushing v. Rushing, 6D2024-1357 (Fla. 6th DCA September 19, 2025).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Family Law Procedure
Writs of garnishment are used in Florida family law cases to collect money judgments. This is an order that allows money from bank accounts to be involuntarily withdrawn to satisfy attorney’s fees or support orders, for example. This was an issue in the case Baumann v. Agudelo, 3D25-0755 (Fla. 3d DCA September 24, 2025).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Domestic Violence
To obtain a domestic violence injunction in Florida, the petitioner must be (1) the victim of domestic violence OR (2) reasonably believe that he or she is in imminent danger of becoming a victim of domestic violence. § 741.30(6)(a), Fla. Stat. (2024). The sufficiency of evidence in a Florida domestic violence case was at issue in Rosa v. Heredia, 5D2025-0452 (Fla. 5th DCA September 12, 2025).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce
An award of temporary support in a Florida divorce case which exceeds the payor’s ability to pay can be reversed on appeal, even without a hearing transcript. This was an issue in the case Melton v. Melton, 5D2024-3467 (Fla. 5th DCA September 12, 2025).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Support
As we have seen in many types of Florida family law cases, the lack of a transcript on appeal can be fatal what may be an otherwise valid claim. This was an issue in the child support case Jackson v. Lawrence, 3D25-0342 (Fla. 3d DCA September 17, 2025).
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Child Custody
In the case Olivas v. Morales, 3D25-0234 (Fla. 3d DCA September 17, 2025), we again see the importance of having a transcript of your Florida child custody case hearing prepared. The father in this case appealed a final judgment of paternity in which he disagreed with the trial court’s summer time-sharing schedule.
Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Holidays
Wishing you and yours a blessed new year.
