Florida marriages can be formally terminated either by divorce or by an annulment. An annulment is sometimes preferred because it is accompanied by a church annulment procedure. A decree annulling a marriage is grounded on the fact that a valid marriage never existed, either because the marriage was void, or…
The Jacksonville Gay and Lesbian community knows first hand that the legal process moves slow. Florida was after all, the last state to rule that the ban of adoption by a gay or lesbian person is unconstitutional. So, every baby step when dealing with the everyday issues and recognition towards…
Many Orange Park Same-Sex Couples are raising children, yet only one partner is the legal parent. Will the preparation of estate planning documents suffice to protect your “non-legal” children. A few issues to consider are the following: Inheritance rights. If a legal parent dies without a Will, the Florida Intestacy…
A Second Parent Adoption allows the biological parent’s same-sex partner to adopt a child without terminating the rights of the biological parent. This type of adoption is comparable to a “stepparent adoption”, except both parties are the same gender. An adopted child is entitled to financial benefits, inheritance rights and…
The National Federation of Independent Business estimates that there are more than 1 million husband-and-wife business partnerships. Considering the divorce rate has remained relatively stable during the recession, it is only natural that some of those partnerships end in divorce. Almost all divorces can get tricky when it comes to…
There are many St. Augustine same-sex couples who are raising children with only one legally recognized parent. In a monumental Florida court ruling which overturned the ban on gay adoption in September 2010, the court reported that scientific evidence overwhelmingly supports allowing gay people to adopt, and that “the best…
In my practice as a Florida child support lawyer, I see people all the time who have been affected by these tough economic times and now cannot pay the Florida child support obligation that has been ordered. If you have been ordered by a Florida court to pay child support,…
As a Florida child custody attorney, parents often ask me if one spouse can limit their right to raise their child in any one religion. Florida custody lawyers recognize that there are many different religions that create very diverse belief systems, especially when it comes to the custody of children…
On June 24, 2011, the State of New York became the Sixth state to allow same-sex couples to marry, as Governor Andrew Cuomo signed this legislation into law. The other states are Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Iowa. Also included is the District of Columbia. The legalization of gay…
You might’ve heard that Hugh Hefner is getting married — yet again — at the end of this week. Keep in mind that Hugh is 85 years old and is engaged to a 24-year-old former Playmate. In other words, Hugh was a little over 60 when his soon-to-be wife was…