Well, three times was not a charm. Instead, it was three strikes and out. Today, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed the highly contentious bill that would have eliminated permanent alimony and required judges to presume that an equal split of parenting time is in the...
Year: 2022
Florida alimony reform bill tiptoes toward finish line – will it cross?
For the past couple of months, we have been keeping readers up to date on the saga of the major alimony and parenting time bill that passed the state legislature in March. Since then, it has not been presented to Gov. Ron DeSantis as required by the state constitution...
Thundering silence from Tallahassee on alimony and custody reform bill
Readers may recall our recent posts on the controversial alimony and parenting-time reform bill that the Florida legislature passed on March 9. The bill sets July 1 as the date it would take effect, if approved. Strangely, as of this writing on June 6, Gov. Ron...
Hurry up and wait: Florida alimony and custody reform bill in limbo
It has been almost two months since we wrote a series of posts about monumental and controversial legislation that had passed in both the state House and Senate by March 9. Floridians concerned about how alimony and parental time-sharing would change going forward are...
Do your homework! Florida school selection issues for divorcing parents
Summer goes quickly and before you know it, it will be fall and the start of a new school year. If you are a Florida parent facing divorce, where will your school-aged children go to school? It depends on which of several scenarios you face. Parenting plans and school...
So, you want to fly solo? Sole parental responsibility in Florida, part 3
In this part three of our series on parental responsibility, traditionally called legal custody, we will discuss sole parental responsibility, a status the court grants in some divorces, separations or parenting disputes between unmarried parents. When one parent has...
Respect my authority? Shared parental responsibility with assigned areas of authority, part 2
In part one, we explained that Florida has three kinds of parental responsibility, sometimes called legal custody: Shared, shared with assigned ultimate decision-making authority and sole. Parental responsibility is the right and responsibility to make major life...
Shared decision-making between divorced, separated or unmarried parents, part 1
Private Montessori or public kindergarten? Basketball or piano lessons? Church, temple, mosque or none of these? Vaccinate or not? Parents often have understandably strong feelings about these kinds of important life decisions for their children – and they have...
Should Florida judges presume equal time-sharing between parents to be in children’s best interests?
The jury seems to be out on the question, but Gov. Ron DeSantis has it squarely in front of him. He must decide whether to sign hotly debated legislation that would direct judges in child custody cases to begin deliberation with that presumption, subject to evidence...
Going down for the third time or third time lucky? Will the governor finally end permanent alimony? Part 2
Many in the Sunshine State are holding their collective breath to see whether Gov. Ron DeSantis will sign a hotly debated bill that would end permanent alimony, establish a procedure for retiring alimony payors to seek termination of their obligations and create a...
The Law Office of Forrest & Forrest, PLLC represents individuals in Fort Lauderdale in high-asset divorce matters. Daniel Forrest is board-certified family lawyer and mediator serving the South Florida area.
