As a Family Law Attorney in the Jacksonville area I am consistently asked how the courts calculate alimony. This is often a difficult question to answer. In Jacksonville and Florida as a whole there is no specific formula to calculate alimony. Instead, there are factors that Jacksonville courts look to…
The modification of alimony is a subject that has gathered much attention recently. Much of this attention can be credited to a Massachusetts man named Steve Hitner. In 1999 Hitner was ordered to pay $865 a week in permanent alimony, however; after September 11, 2001 Hitner’s business crashed and he…
The Florida legislature is currently dealing with two bills dealing with alimony, and the bills may bring a dramatic change to some of the rules. Most of the changes are coming to long-term marriages — those that last 17 years or longer. The changes are evidently designed to make things…
Florida is a “no fault” divorce state. This means that either spouse may seek a divorce without showing cause for the desired separation. The spouse seeking a divorce has the option to simply claim the marriage is “irretrievably broken.” Generally, Jacksonville Florida courts are not concerned with which party played…
Jacksonville Divorce, custody and family disputes are highly emotional and important matters that we at Law Office of David M. Goldman take special pride in handling. Regardless of the circumstances, the break up of any marriage involves many legal issues that cannot be overlooked and must be thoroughly researched and…
When deciding whether to grant alimony in a divorce case, courts in Jacksonville, Florida consider many factors, including the length of the marriage, the spouses’ employment prospects, the age of each party, their standard of living, their marital contributions, their available income and assets, and the fairness of the situation.…
On November 11, 2011 I wrote a blog titled, “Sexual Assault Victim Ordered to Pay Her Attacker Alimony.” In the blog I described how Crystal Harris, a San Diego area resident, was ordered to pay alimony to her ex husband whom was serving time in prison for sexual assault. Worst…
I just recently wrote about the State of Florida and the move for alimony reform. Well, it turns out Florida is not the only state seeking a change in alimony laws. Foxnews.com has posted an article titled, “New Jersey lawmaker looks to update alimony rules after advocacy group claims lifetime…
FloridaToday.com has recently posted an article titled, “Times have changed, so should alimony.” The article tackles the issue of permanent alimony in Florida and its, often considered, archaic reasoning. Currently, Florida Statute 61.08 reads, “Permanent alimony may be awarded to provide for the needs and necessities of life as they…
I stumbled upon an article that I thought was pretty funny earlier the other morning. The article on 923now.radio.com was titled, “Should Russel Brand Ask For Spousal Support?” As a Jacksonville Family Law Attorney, who deals with divorce and spousal support (alimony) constantly, I know that if Brand and Perry’s…