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...
Visitation and time-sharing
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...
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...
Can an extended family member get access or custody of a minor child? Part 2
In part 1 of this post, we talked about Florida’s grandparent visitation law. In part 2, we will identify other potential routes for a child’s relatives willing to step up to help by taking on custodial responsibilities or regular visitation. Such relatives may...
Do Florida grandparents or other relatives of a minor child have custody or visitation rights? Part 1
As often is the case with family law questions, it depends. Several factors may affect the answer, ranging from the health, competence or death of a parent; to the best interest of the child; to the parents’ wishes. To provide a very high-level summary, parents have...
To end or not to end – that is the question about permanent alimony in Florida
The state legislature is – again – hotly contesting whether Florida is ready to reform its current spousal support system. The state House and Senate each have a version of the bill before them, but the legislation has not made it to either floor for debate as of this...
Fickle foreign festivities, part 2
Child travel bonds can pressure parents to return kids after visits abroad In part 1 of this post, we told readers about the power of a Florida judge to order an international travel bond as financial incentive for a divorced or unmarried parent not to abduct their...
Fickle foreign festivities, part 1
Posting travel bonds in Florida for international child travel In this interconnected world, for a child to have married or unmarried parents from different nations is not unusual. However, if the binational marriage or relationship breaks down, matters of custody and...
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.
