Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Father Appeals Decision to Award Custody and Legal Fees to Mother
In the case of Alvarez v. Jimenez, a formerly married couple disputed issues related to the custody of their two children. The father filed for the dissolution of marriage in July 2015. Affidavits attached to the petition (filed pursuant to the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act or UCCJEA) indicated where each of… Read More »
Court Vacates Domestic Violence Injunction Against Boyfriend
In the case of McGuire v. Boscan, the two litigants were live-in lovers. The woman in this relationship, Boscan, filed a temporary domestic violence injunction without minor children against her former boyfriend, McGuire. McGuire, in turn, appealed the decision that granted his former girlfriend a domestic violence injunction. Incidents of alleged domestic violence occurred… Read More »
Wife Appeals Ruling to Deny Alimony in Florida Divorce Case
In the case of Wright v. Wright, the parties were married for 18 years. They had four children, three of whom were minors at the time of the final hearing. The former husband earned approximately $177,000 as a risk manager with a national bank. The former wife was a business analyst with a different… Read More »
Former Wife Successfully Appeals Amount of Alimony Award
In the case of Farley v. Farley, the former wife asked the appeals court to review the amended final judgment of dissolution of marriage with regard to her periodic permanent alimony payments. The trial court had awarded the wife $2350 per month in permanent periodic alimony. The appeals court found cause to reverse in… Read More »
Florida Appeals Court Tackles Bases for Establishing Paternity
Those who have children out of wedlock often presume that they have a right to parent their children without the court’s say so. If the relationship between the parents ends up on the rocks, however, a father may find his parental rights in jeopardy. That happened in the case of N.D. v. J.B. Background… Read More »
What’s the Difference between a Legal and Biological Father Under Florida Law?
There are numerous ways to establish paternity in Florida. Not all of them involve DNA testing. One way to establish paternity is by being named as the father on the child’s birth certificate or being married when a child is born. If you are the husband of the pregnant wife, the court will presume… Read More »
What is the Role of a Guardian ad Litem During a Florida Custody Battle?
During a high-conflict child custody hearing, the Florida courts may see fit to assign a guardian ad litem to intervene. Their job is to investigate the dispute and ensure that the children’s best interests are protected. In other cases, a parent may request that a guardian ad litem be assigned to their case. If… Read More »
Study: Men Fare Better Than Women After “Gray Divorce”
We recently published a blog post discussing a study that researched how gray divorce impacts the familial landscape. Essentially, the study indicated that women maintain closer ties with their adult children directly following a divorce, while men tend to lose contact with their children or interact with them less frequently. This study was conducted… Read More »
Are Couples Postponing Divorce Because It’s “Too Expensive”? Recent Study Indicates They Are
It’s no secret that we, as Tampa divorce lawyers, field more cases at the beginning of the year than at most other times throughout the year. However, 2024 is a different sort of year, and with it comes a rising cost of living, inflation, and an economic crunch on American pocketbooks that is impacting… Read More »
Recent Poll Surveys Couples’ Reasons for Getting Divorce
Depending on who you ask, the divorce rate in America is either going up or going down. The best studies appear to indicate that the divorce rate is going up among older Americans and down among younger Americans. Meanwhile, the marriage rate is also going down for younger Americans with fewer younger Americans tying… Read More »