Author Archives: Jay Butchko
My Former Spouse Stopped Paying Alimony: How Can I Collect?
In Florida, alimony (spousal support) may be awarded to help the financially disadvantaged partner following a divorce. There are different types of alimony that can be awarded in Florida: including rehabilitative, bridge-the-gap, durational, permanent, periodic and temporary. Many people rely on their alimony payments. If your former partner stopped paying alimony, it can cause… Read More »
Florida Supreme Court Strikes Down Decades-Old Rule that Disadvantaged Biological Fathers
On June 28th, 2018 the Supreme Court of Florida issued a major ruling in a key family law case. In Treneka Simmonds v. Connor Perkins, Florida’s highest court struck down a decades-old legal rule that severely disadvantaged biological fathers by putting a child’s ‘legitimacy’ ahead of a father’s parental rights. This is an important… Read More »
How to Overcome an Impasse in Divorce Mediation
We all know how divorce is portrayed in popular media: it is a difficult, fiercely contested battle of opposing interests that can get dragged out for years and that leaves everyone with hurt feelings. The reality is far different. While ending a marriage is always challenging, not every divorce has to turn into a… Read More »
Can a Child Choose Custody in Clearwater, Florida?
In Florida, child custody and visitation issues are handled under the state’s best interests of the child statute. Family law courts will work to find a child custody or shared parenting arrangement that is best for the health, safety, social development, and overall well being of the child. This raises an important question: Can… Read More »
Five Tips for Negotiating the Best Divorce Settlement
If you are going through a divorce in Clearwater, Florida, you are not alone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that around half of U.S. couples separate prior to their tenth wedding anniversary. Though divorce is common in our country, that does not make it any easier. Going through a divorce… Read More »
