The most common complaint we hear from parties trying to handle their own divorce is: Why are the forms so confusing and difficult to understand
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Preparing Court Documents
Why Can't I Just Do This Myself? What Documents Do I Need? Thinking of going it on your own? There are many individuals who 'just want to get it done' without a fight, without attorneys, without the stress. Then, they go onto the Florida site for the forms and become totally overwhelmed and th...
Keeping The Children Safe
Florida law, under Chapter 751, recognizes that there are numerous children in this state who are being cared for by grandparents and other extended family members
Best Interests of a Child
When parties have children and are involved in a divorce, paternity or other custody matter, Florida law requires the Judge to enter appropriate Court Orders.
My Girlfriend Left With The Kids
If you are involved in a situation where the other parent has fled the joint residence with the children, immediate action is necessary to protect your rights.
HOW AT GET DIVORCED WHEN YOU CANNOT FIND YOUR SPOUSE
But I cannot locate my spouse Many years ago, I spoke to a woman who wanted advice on how she could get a divorce quickly. She told me that over 5 years had passed since she had last seen her husband. She said that the couple lived in Florida for 8 years, shared a home together and he worked whi...
SEEING A FUTURE WITHOUT CONFLICT AND STRIFE
MINIMIZE YOUR CONFLICTS WITH A DIVORCE MEDIATOR Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator Many divorcing couples endure years of stress in their marriage and conflict with their partners. As a Family Law Attorney, I have seen firsthand the impact of such conflict. It is fairly evident to ...
THE POWER OF MEDIATION
MEDIATION IS THE WAY TO GO! FOR THOSE WHO WANT A DIVORCE IN FLORIDA It is a fact, that in the United States today, almost 50% of all marriages will end in divorce, with the average divorce costing $7,000. National statistics show 2.3 million marriages occurred in 2023. This transl...
Alimony In Florida
What is Alimony It is not uncommon for a spouse to seek Alimony in a Divorce case. Alimony is a sum of money that is paid by one spouse to the other, which is meant to be used for financial support. To obtain a court order for Alimony, there must be a court action filed and pending before a Flor...
Can't Afford to hire a Florida Attorney for my Divorce
What Happens When Parties Want a Divorce or Child Custody Determination and Cannot Afford Lawyers During my professional career, I have assisted thousands of individuals. Many of these folks have sadly told me that they cannot afford to hire a lawyer in their Florida Family Law case. They feel c...
Florida Divorce Settled in Mediation
How Can We Settle Our Florida Divorce During Mediation With over 40 years of experience, Gordon N. Shayne is a strong advocate for the Power of a Mediated Settlement in Divorce cases. First, lets discuss what a Pre- Suit Mediation is and is not: A Pre-Suit Mediation occurs prior to the parties filin...
Flat Fee Divorce?
May I pay a lawyer a Flat Fee to represent me in my Divorce or Custody case? A lawyer is permitted to negotiate any reasonable fee structure with a client in a divorce or custody case. The majority of lawyers charge a “Retainer” in order to commence representation in a Family law matter. The l...
Save Money during your Divorce through Mediation
HOW TO SAVE TIME AND MONEY IN YOUR DIVORCE THROUGH MEDIATION The most commonly asked question that clients ask when meeting with a lawyer in a divorce case is: “How much are lawyer fees going to cost me in my divorce case?” The simple answer is that a qualified lawyer has no real ...
Cheap Divorce
CAN I GET A CHEAP DIVORCE IF MY SPOUSE AND I GO TO MEDIATION It may surprise you to learn that over a million Americans get divorced, every year. Couples who have gone through the divorce process in our legal system, quickly learn that ALL Divorces have some or all of these features: ...
Cheap Divorce Fast
How to get a Cheap-Fast Divorce In Florida, a cheap-fast divorce can be obtained if you hire the right kind of attorney. Attorneys who are also Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediators, can be your most valuable connection to getting a divorce quickly and without spending a l...
Is Mediation Better
When you are considering divorce, child custody or making changes to previous court orders, you may want to seriously consider hiring a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator. Who better to assist you and the other party in coming to agreements, exploring your options for remedies and c...
Step-By-Step – How To File For Divorce In Florida
Going through a divorce can often be one of the most stressful situations in a person's life. Regardless of what terms you and your ex are on, starting a new chapter of your life alone can be daunting. What's more, if your friends and family don't support your decision to move forward with the di...
How is our Property/Assets Divided During our Jacksonville, Florida Divorce?
Most of us think that if something is in your name, then, it belongs to you, right? Wrapping your head around the 'ins and outs' of marital property/assets/debts and how they are divided, can be somewhat confusing. Did you know that..... Commingled Property (mixed/combined) refers to proper...
How Can I save money on my Jacksonville, FL Divorce?
I Don't Have Enough Money to Hire an Attorney, now what? We have all been in situations of requiring the help of a professional and not having the funds to do so. It is an awful situation to find yourself in, for sure! Sometimes, we have the luxury of time to 'save up' for what we need, and th...
3 Things You Need To Know About Divorce In Florida
Before you hire a divorce lawyer in Jacksonville FL to file for divorce, first you need to ensure that you understand the divorce process in Florida.
My Friend Told Me that my Florida Mediation would be the end of my case, but.....
"My Friend Told me that my Florida Mediation would be the end for my case..." "My Cousin said his attorney in another state said the other party would pay for my Florida Custody Case..." You've got to love your friends, right? Family members rock! Well, maybe sometimes, but when a friend compa...
What if I run out of money during my Florida Divorce case?
Did you hire an attorney for a flat fee, or, did you pay a retainer and agree to pay the attorney hourly? Some lawyers will agree to take your case for a flat fee under the agreement that the case remains, for example, as an Uncontested Divorce. This can be a bit tricky as no one really knows w...
May I Appear for my Mediation via Zoom?
Yes! In Florida, a Family Law matter such as a divorce or child custody case allows for the Mediation to be held virtually, or remotely, so you will not have to appear in person. This is achieved via 'Zoom Video Communication' . Use of this applic...
4 Questions To Ask Before Hiring A Divorce Lawyer in Jacksonville Florida
Going through a divorce is never easy. However, to ensure that you get the best possible outcome from your divorce case, it's crucial that you hire the right lawyer. Having an attorney by your side that you trust, that is knowledgeable and that is experienced will give you more peace of mind du...
I ALLOWED THE OTHER PARENT TO TAKE OUR CHILD WHEN I SHOULD NOT HAVE
One of the most common questions I am asked as a Family Law Attorney is, “I allowed the other parent to take our child when I should not have, now what do I do?” This kind of question usually comes up because a parent may think that he or she is doing the right thing in allowing the other parent ...