BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILDREN FACTORS

When a New Port Richey or Pasco County Court evaluates timesharing or parenting time between parents and parental responsibility (decision making authority when it comes to health, school, etc.), the Court will consider at least 20 potential factors...

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THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILDREN—WHAT TO DO IN A TIMESHARE CASE

Divorce is not pleasant for anyone. There is marital property to divide, houses to sell or split, and visitation with children to arrange. If the husband and wife are angry with one another, as people going through a divorce often are, the urge to...

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BUSINESS RECORDS AND HEARSAY

The recent case of Rivera v. The Bank of New York Mellon, 2D17-4417, the Second District Court of Appeal applies its analysis of hearsay and the business records exception in reversing the lower court’s summary judgment in favor of the...

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MANDATORY DISCLOSURE AND JOHNSON v. DAVIS: LEGAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SELLING A HOUSE

If you are a buyer or a seller of a home in Florida, there are two legal areas you need to watch out for. One is the so-called "as-is" contract, which is seen whenever the home purchased is not brand-new from a developer or built to spec by the...

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ANGER IN DIVORCE IS TOXIC

When contemplating divorce, long before the words even come to mind, hurt and anger are likely familiar feelings associated with you and your spouse. It is no surprise that bringing up divorce is likely to cause hurt and anger in both partners....

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DOES YOUR FAMILY LAW LAWYER SPEND MORE TIME BILLING YOU THAN WORKING ON YOUR CASE?

            At Stewart & Riley, we often get this response: “my lawyer spent more time billing me for things that got nothing done in my case.” For example, emails between opposing counsel or staff that had little to not merit....

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MANDATORY DISCLOSURE IN FLORIDA DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE PROCEEDINGS

Most people think of proceeding with a divorce in Florida as a process involving the completion of a lot of paperwork.  While true, a Florida dissolution of marriage requires more than just the completion of paperwork.  The process involves the...

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PREPARING TO MEET YOUR FAMILY LAW ATTORNEY: WHAT DOCUMENTS TO BRING?

Beginning any meeting prepared contributes to you feeling more relaxed, having a better understanding of what’s taking place, and ensuring a productive use of both your time and that of your attorney.  Below you will find a list of...

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A SWORD AND A SHIELD: INJUNCTIONS AND DIVORCE IN FLORIDA

The proper term for a divorce in Florida is a “dissolution of marriage.”  Like many states, Florida abolished the need to prove fault as grounds for obtaining a dissolution of marriage.  So long as one of the parties can state or allege that...

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DO I NEED AN ATTORNEY FOR A FIRST TIME DUI IN FLORIDA?

People charged with driving under the influence (DUI) for the first time sometimes have certain beliefs this article hopes to explain and clarify.  Some common false beliefs are: 1. Because it’s the first time they’ve been charged with a DUI,...

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