On May 17, 2023, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill greatly restricting Florida doctors in their ability to give gender-affirming treatment to transgender minors. The law took effect immediately upon signing. Notably for Florida parents and out-of-state parents of kids...
Child Custody
Will 4 be the magic number for a Florida alimony reform bill?
As of this writing on April 28, 2023, the Florida Senate has passed the fourth version of an alimony reform bill (SB 1416) considered in a decade. Govs. Ron DeSantis and Rick Scott vetoed the first three. Now, eyes are on the Florida House of Representatives, where...
What is an emergency involving a child? Part 2
Is the child currently at risk of serious physical injury or of one parent moving away with them in violation of court order? In part 1 of this post, we discussed the situation that can arise during or following a divorce when one parent believes their child may be in...
What constitutes a family emergency in a Florida divorce? Part 1
How can I get a hearing in my divorce case when the problem affecting my child is urgent? Dangerous situations can evolve during or after divorce that may put children at risk. The parents have moved to different homes, usually dividing parenting time and sharing...
The show must go on: Which parent gets to attend the school play postdivorce?
Most divorced parents of minor children in Florida want to attend special events involving their children. When a parent must adjust to a new life where they do not see their child as much, being part of the child’s extracurricular, athletic, musical and other kinds...
Risk of grave harm prevents child’s return to country of residence, part 2
Today we continue our discussion of Golan v. Saada, the June 15, 2022, U.S. Supreme Court case interpreting the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (“Hague Convention”). As explained in part 1, the U.S. is a signatory of the treaty,...
When returning a child to their home country poses risk of grave harm, part 1
People vacation in the Sunshine State from all over the world and many immigrants make Florida their home. So, chances are decently high in our state that a resident could enter a romantic relationship with someone from a different nation. International parental...
Three strikes: Florida governor vetoes alimony and custody reform bill
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...
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...
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.
