Jacksonville area residents seeking to change their name may do so by filing a Petition for Change of Name with the court in the county in which they reside. However, there are a few hoops that must be jumped prior to the court granting a name change. In particular, fingerprints…
As a Jacksonville area Family Law Attorney I get an exorbitant amount of inquires regarding child custody issues. However, not all of the individuals posing such inquires are the biological parents of the minor child or children. Many aunts, uncles, grandparents and other extended family members seek to gain custody…
Smokers Beware! If it wasn’t bad enough that smoking harms your health, appearance and wallet; it can also harm your chances of winning a child custody battle. So if all the other harmful effects of smoking haven’t motivated you to kick your habit maybe the thought of losing time with…
The economic downturn has brought about fear for many American families. Many fear the possibilities of foreclosure and/or bankruptcy. Families have thus started tightening the reigns on frivolous spending. Many families can no longer afford the luxuries of week long vacations, shopping sprees and eating out. This turn in financial…
Many parents in the Jacksonville, Florida area are under the impression that child support is paid throughout a child’s college eduction or until a child reaches the age of 21. Although this is true in other states across the country, it is simple not the case in Florida. In Florida,…
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…
As a Jacksonville Divorce Attorney I’ve noticed one of the first questions new clients ask me is, “how long is it going to take for my divorce to become finalized.” Unfortunately, there is no one answer to that question. A divorce can last as long as the parties want it…
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…
If you are parent of a teenage girl in Florida, I am sure you have seen the show 16 and Pregnant, documenting the tribulations of teenage pregnancy. Some of these teens contemplate abortion. It is important to know that in Florida the parents of a teen who is pregnant have…
Newly married or divorced individuals can simply have their name changed through their marriage certificate or their divorce decree. However, if someone wants to change to a new name for other reasons, such as they simply don’t like their birth name, a court order is required. The process to have…