Recent Blog Posts
Adventures in Alimony: Tales from Florida Case Law
In the old days, alimony was a popular subject for aspiring stand-up comedians at local comedy clubs. More recently, it has become a topic for vitriolic blog posts in the less benign corners of the Internet. Then and now, alimony remains misunderstood. What really happens in the courtroom where a judge decides that you… Read More »
Prenuptial Agreements: Myths and Facts
Magazines about weddings often contain articles about potentially contentious issues that couples should discuss early in their marriage, or even before taking their marriage vows. Almost everyone, from magazine editors in the wedding industry to your long-married elderly aunt can agree that you can avoid many conflicts if you and your spouse can agree… Read More »
What is permanent alimony and when is it appropriate?
In the state of Florida when two people are getting divorced and they have been married for longer than 14 years there is a presumption in favor of permanent alimony. Whenever a claim for permanent alimony is sought by a spouse and their divorce attorney the level of conflict in the case usually escalates… Read More »
Financial Discovery in Divorce Litigation
In every divorce case that moves through the court system, the parties to the divorce must submit certain minimum mandatory financial discovery documentation either to the court or to the opposing party or their divorce attorney. The purpose of this exchange of discovery is to ensure that everybody is being honest about their income,… Read More »
What Is an Uncontested Divorce?
We have all heard the stories of the divorce that lasted for multiple years, costs thousands and thousands of dollars, and destroyed the lives of the parties in the case. But, is that the story of every divorce? The answer is no, in fact, many divorces are accomplished every day in a peaceful and… Read More »
Can I reconcile before my divorce is final
I don’t know about other divorce attorneys conduct business inside their offices, however, I can tell you that the vast majority of people who come and sit down with me for a divorce consultation are going to be asked if they have attempted marriage counseling and if they would be willing to attempt it… Read More »
The Six Types of Alimony in Florida
In the early days of Facebook, users could choose the “it’s complicated” relationship status when they were in the process of a breakup or had separated from their partner but their lives were still somehow entwined. “Complicated” definitely describes the transition from being a married couple to being a single person, especially when it… Read More »
The Allegations in the Kavanaugh Confirmation Hearings and How Divorce Attorneys See Them Every Day On the Job
The Similarities Between the Kavanaugh Confirmation Process and What Divorce Attorneys and Judges Do is Striking Recently, all the news channels and headlines in the United States have been filled with status updates and debates about the confirmation process for Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States. As I listened to… Read More »
How Will Our Home Be Divided In A Divorce
One issue that divorce attorneys deal with in nearly every divorce case is figuring out the best way to address the division of the marital home. The fact is that addressing a home in a divorce can be very simple if both of the parties in the divorce agree on what should happen. However,… Read More »
Modification Of Custody After Divorce
How Do I Request A Modification Of Custody From My Divorce After the final judgment is entered in your divorce case and everybody is settled into a routine with a parenting plan many people think that they will never need to deal with the courts again. Unfortunately, it is very common for parents to… Read More »
Welcome To The Newest Addition To The Smallwood Family Law Team
The Smallwood Family Law Team Welcomes Its Newest Addition On July 11, 2017 at 3:19 a.m. we welcomed our newest future Smallwood, P.A. team member Ava Raelyn Penelope Smallwood. She was born at Winter Park Memorial Hospital and, at one day old, her hobbies include sleeping, burping, and snuggling with mom and dad. We would… Read More »
How To Spot Hidden Income And Assets In Divorce And Family Law Cases
Most People have no idea how common it is for parties in family law and divorce litigation to hide assets and income. Here is a detailed list of the ways they try this and how to spot them One very common issue that divorce attorneys deal with in family law litigation is the situation… Read More »
5 Orlando Divorce Statistics You Never Knew
Do you know your city’s divorce statistics? The chart below may surprise you Orlando is known as one of the happiest cities in the United States thanks to the family-oriented entertainment such as Walt Disney World and Universal Studios. However, did you know, as of 2013, Orlando has a divorce rate of over 13… Read More »
Breakdown Of Chris Brown Custody Hearing
Chris Brown’s Recent Custody Hearing Offers Some Insight Into His Case And Also Shows How Similar His Case Is To Everyone Else’s After reading up on Chris Brown’s child custody hearing back in September it becomes clear that the issues the singer faces in his case are the exact same issues that many other… Read More »
Can I Find A Good Divorce Attorney On AVVO.com?
Many Parents Looking For Divorce Attorneys Go To AVVO.com To Find Representation. Are They On To Something Good? These days anyone searching for a lawyer for a divorce or other family law case type has no shortage of places to look for legal professionals. Whether they see attorneys on billboards, radio ads, television commercials,… Read More »
How To Remove Spouse’s Name From Loans In Divorce Cases
What To Do In Divorce Litigation if You Have Property Financed In Both Names A very common issue that divorce attorneys have to assist their clients with in litigation is where certain property that is owned by the parties such as real estate [1], automobiles, boats, mobile homes, or other property and one of… Read More »
Does Cheating Affect Alimony Awards In Divorce
Does Infidelity Affect Alimony Orders In Divorce Cases? Your Attorney’s Answer May Surprise You There are many reasons why two married people may decide to call divorce attorneys and call it quits. With nearly half of all marriages ending in divorce it is a reality that all married couples must contend with. One of… Read More »
How To Deal With A Cheating Spouse in Divorce
How To Deal With Cheating Spouses And Why Divorce May Not Always Be The Best Option The recent release of the email addresses of millions of Ashley Madison, a well known cheating website, customers has highlighted the issue of cheating spouses that leads so many divorces. The statistics certainly suggest that the odds of… Read More »
Thanksgiving Custody Issues
Thanksgiving Visitation Schedules Often Cause Trips To Court For Parents This Thanksgiving holiday it is important for parents with child custody orders to remember that there are typically additional visitation days in parenting plans during the break children have from school for this holiday. Child custody attorneys normally see an upswing in calls around… Read More »
Dealing With Overly Involved Family Members In Child Custody Cases
How to Deal with an over-involved family member that causes problems in your divorce case After a divorce or other type of child custody case, it is very common for the other parent’s family to become overly involved in issues and decisions that should be left to the child’s parents. The most common manifestation… Read More »
How To Minimize Conflict In A Divorce
One Of The Most Important Things For Divorcing Couples To Do Is To Know How To Minimize Conflict In Their Divorce Case How to minimize conflict in a divorce or other family law case. This is a question that most divorce and family law attorneys find themselves answering on a very regular basis. The… Read More »
Dividing Retirement Accounts In Divorce
You Worked Hard For Your Retirement But What Happens To It In A Divorce? A very common issue that divorce attorneys deal with in their divorce cases is where one or both parties to the divorce case have a pension, 401k, or other type of retirement account. It is well settled in Florida divorce… Read More »
The Effect Of Divorce on Younger Children Versus Adolecents
The Effects of Divorce On Children Can Differ Between Younger and Older Children And Divorcing Parents Need To Be Aware Of Children’s Needs Most contested dissolution cases that divorce attorneys deal with include minor children where the kids are the main issue of contention. The age range for children experiencing divorce ranges from infant… Read More »
Should there be laws that impose divorce waiting periods?
Should there be laws requiring divorcing couples to attend counseling before they can file for divorce and obey a waiting period? The New York Times hosted an insightful debate on its website between Vicki Larson and Beverly Willett two divorce and family writers with very compelling arguments on the issue. The main thrust of… Read More »
Will money I make from Uber driving affect child support
Will the money I make from driving for Uber affect child support? In these modern days there are many ways a person can earn extra income from part time employment to having an online store or blog that generates additional income. One such method of earning extra income that is especially popular these days… Read More »
Post Divorce DOR Child Support
After A Divorce Many Parents Feel As Though They Receive Unfair Treatment By The Department Of Revenue Regarding Child Support One very common issue that divorce and child support attorneys deal with for their clients is where the Florida Department of Revenue (DOR) undertakes enforcement of the other parent’s child support order. This occurs… Read More »
Difference Between Divorce And Paternity Establishment Cases
Two Common Types Of Custody Cases Are Divorce And Paternity Establishment What is the difference between divorce and a paternity custody action? The two most common types of cases that divorce and custody attorneys see these days are divorces and petitions to establish paternity. While both of these case types follow practically the same… Read More »
What To Expect If Your Divorce Case Goes To Trial
Even Though The Majority Of Divorce Cases Settle Many Still Will Go Further In The Process Leaving Clients Wondering What To Expect If Their Divorce Goes To Trial The process of getting the divorce case ready for trial is normally a process of ensuring that the client has the financial means to proceed to… Read More »
Overly Aggressive Divorce Attorneys
One Problem That Divorce Attorneys Deal With Is Dealing With Opposing Attorneys Who Are Overly Aggressive “Pit bull” Types Everyone has heard the stories about overly aggressive divorce attorneys. Whether it is on television, word of mouth from friends, or from personal experience most people equate divorce attorneys with unreasonable or with a “pit… Read More »
Residency Requirements For Filing For Divorce
Before A Person Hires A Divorce Attorney And Files For Divorce They Need To Prove That They Are Residents Of The State; Here Is The How And Why A very common question that divorce attorneys ask their clients prior to filing the divorce is where they’ve lived for the past six months or if… Read More »