family law

Raising a child together when you're not married comes with its own complications. For instance, you'll need to choose your child's last name and make sure both your names are on the birth certificate to become legal parents to your child. When you are unmarried,...

You and your spouse adopted a child assuming that you would be married for a long time or perhaps for the rest of your lives. Now, you are seeking a divorce and have to decide how to move forward with the best interests of your child in mind. Adoption and divorce can...

If you asked your child what he wanted for the holidays after a divorce, what do you think he would say? Maybe your child would point out that he doesn't like when you fight with your ex-husband or wife, or perhaps he would point out that he wants to know his...

After a divorce, the holidays take on new meaning. Maybe they're more stressful because you have to work out a parenting arrangement quickly with your ex and attorney and get your kids where they need to go, or perhaps they're a little sad because of the people you no...

When you're not married, you might have questions about keeping your property separate if you decide to move in with your partner. Many people assume that all assets are separate, but the fact is that many assets will be shared between you. For instance, if you...

According to the 2016 Florida Statutes, interference with custody occurs when a person knowingly or recklessly takes or entices a minor or incompetent person from that person's lawful custodian without legal consent. Taking a child or dependent and concealing that...

If your child goes missing after a visitation arrangement, the last thing that you want to think of is that your child could be the victim of parental kidnapping. If you think this is what happened to you, one of the things that the government and local authorities...

Nothing is more daunting than trying to figure out your parental rights as an unmarried father; you want to make sure you assert yourself, but you also need to cover your bases legally. As an unmarried father in Sarasota, you do have some rights protected under the...

Marriages don't always last, and some aren't even legal in Florida. For example, you can't marry a first cousin, sister or brother, your mother or your father, just to name a few. In Florida, annulment is a possibility in some cases when you no longer want to stay...

Is an open adoption something you've been thinking about? There are pros and cons to that decision. Before you decide on the right path, make sure you understand the legal implications of both. What is an open adoption? With an open adoption, you still know and...