Best Divorce Lawyers in Bonita Springs, FL

If you have a valid common law marriage, yes, you should be able to receive an award of alimony in Florida if you can establish your entitlement to alimony pursuant to the statutory considerations set forth in Section 61.08 of the Florida Statutes.

In Florida, there are several alternatives to going to court. First, there is mediation. Mediation is basically a process in which you attempt to sit down with your spouse and/or their attorney and you try and resolve the case with the help of a neutral third-party facilitator. Another option is arbitration. Arbitration is available for certain issues, though not all issues, in a case. It is similar to having a judge decide your case, but it may prove more cost-effective. There is also negotiation, where the parties reach a settlement without the assistance of anyone other than possibly their attorneys. And finally, there is collaborative law. Collaborative law is a contractual alternative to the litigation process.

Collaborative divorce in Florida is an agreement by contract between the parties and their counsel to essentially avoid litigation. The parties agree to participate in the collaborative process and if they are unable to reach an agreement, the attorneys are discharged in the event the case needs to be litigated.

There are several things you should consider bringing with you when you meet with your divorce attorney. If you have a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement, you will certainly want to ensure that you bring that to your meeting or provide it in advance. You should consider bringing some relevant and concise financial information if you have it so you can discuss your financial picture completely with your divorce attorney. Additionally, you may want to organize your thoughts as it relates to specific facts that you are concerned with relating to your children, if there are issues in that regard. And, you may want to bring an itemized list of questions so that you can remember what you would like your divorce attorney to answer for you.

Grandparents who temporarily care for the grandchildren generally do not have many rights. However, they can secure an order that will give them the opportunity to consent to medical treatment for the grandchildren that they are caring for, that will allow them to enroll them in school, and to do certain other items relative to the grandchildren they are caring for.