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Family Law
A strong, reasonable voice for your family through the matters that affect your future.
Family law issues are some of the most personal a person will face — whether they arise before, during, or after a marriage, or between unmarried partners when children are involved. We help clients across Lakeland, Winter Haven, Bartow, Plant City, Tampa, and Hillsborough, Highlands, Hardee, and Polk counties walk the line between aggressively pursuing their goals and bringing a strong, reasonable voice to a highly contested process — because the outcome directly affects everyone involved, especially the children.
Divorce & Dissolution of Marriage
There are two paths to a divorce in Florida: uncontested, where both parties resolve issues through mediation, or contested, where the court has to hear arguments and rule — most commonly when children or marital property are involved.
Learn more →Child Custody & Visitation
Florida courts decide custody, visitation, and parenting plans based on what’s in the best interest of the child, generally favoring arrangements that keep a child in frequent contact with both parents.
Learn more →Parenting Plan & Timesharing
Florida no longer uses the terms ‘child custody’ or ‘custody agreements’ — they’ve been replaced by ‘Time Sharing’ and ‘Parenting Plans,’ covering where a child primarily resides, visitation schedules, child support, and other child-related issues.
Learn more →Child Support
Child support is paid by the non-custodial parent and is meant exclusively for the child’s well-being — clothing, food, shelter, and other essential needs.
Learn more →Paternity Issues
Establishing or disputing paternity is often the first step in resolving custody, visitation, child support, and other parental rights questions.
Learn more →Division of Marital Property & Assets
Contrary to popular belief, Florida divorce doesn’t automatically split property down the middle — the law calls for equitable distribution of everything accumulated during the marriage, and sometimes pre-marital property too if it was shared during the marriage.
Learn more →Spousal Support & Alimony
Alimony is awarded based on one spouse’s demonstrated need and the other spouse’s ability to pay — it’s gender-neutral and isn’t meant to give the receiving spouse a financial advantage.
Learn more →Post-Judgment Modifications
When circumstances change significantly after a family law ruling, either party can petition the court for a post-judgment modification — whether that’s to a support order, a custody arrangement, or another part of the original judgment.
Learn more →Domestic Injunctions
A domestic injunction — commonly called a restraining order — is a protective court order documenting past harmful actions or threats and restricting an aggressor’s contact with the person it protects.
Learn more →Geographical Child Relocations
Under Florida law, a custodial parent moving 50 miles or more away must obtain permission from the other parent or the court before relocating with a child, including filing a formal Notice of Intent to Relocate.
Learn more →Child Adoption by a Relative
In Florida, adoption by a relative — aunt, uncle, grandparent, step-parent, or other family member within the third degree of consanguinity — is typically faster, easier, and less expensive than adoption by a non-relative, without the usual home study, background check, or waiting period requirements.
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