Recent Blog Posts
What Happens If Someone Dies Without a Will in Florida?
If a person dies without a valid will in Florida, the distribution of their assets will be controlled by Florida’s intestate succession laws (Florida Statutes § 732.101). As a general rule, these laws require property to be passed on to a person’s ‘next-of-kin’. Though, determining who exactly should get what can sometimes be challenging…. Read More »
Debunking Three Myths About Power of Attorney in Florida
In the unfortunate event that you become incapacitated or otherwise unable to manage your own financial and legal affairs, it is crucial that you put a trusted person in the proper position to do so. Powers of attorney do just that — give legal authority to trusted parties. Under Florida law (Florida Power of… Read More »
Four Ways to Establish Paternity in Florida
Paternity matters. A father who wants shared custody rights must establish legal paternity. Likewise, a mother who wants to obtain child support payments must establish the father’s paternity. Without paternity, the alleged father of the child will not have legal rights or legal responsibilities. Proving paternity is an incredibly important step, that, depending on… Read More »
What are the Advantages of Avoiding Probate in Florida?
Probate is a court-supervised legal process that involves identifying and gathering the assets and debts of a deceased person for the purposes of settling their estate. In Florida, a will must go through probate. When possible, many people look for opportunities to avoid probate. Of course, this raises an important question: Why? What are… Read More »
Florida Family Law: What is a Guardian Ad Litem?
If you are a parent who is getting divorced or you are otherwise involved in a child custody dispute, you may have come across the term ‘guardian ad litem’. Our Tampa child custody lawyers are often asked questions about the role of a guardian ad litem. For example, you may be wondering: If a… Read More »
Your Guide to Retroactive Child Support in Florida
Under Florida law, a non-custodial parent — the parent who does not have primary custody — has a legal duty to provide financial support to their child. Once a child support order or child support agreement is in place, payments should be made on time. If they are not, the custodial parent has the… Read More »
Understanding Parental Alienation in Florida
Parental alienation is a form of psychological manipulation whereby a child is “turned against” one of their parents. Put another way, it is a type of emotional abuse. In the worst cases, parental alienation has the potential to cause serious disruption to a family, damaging or even destroying relationships. Unfortunately, following a divorce or… Read More »
Florida Estate Planning: Advance Medical Directives and Health Care Surrogates
A proper estate plan is a comprehensive estate plan — it should take care of your legal affairs, your financial affairs, your beneficiaries, and it should protect you in the event that you become unable to care for yourself. Indeed, careful and attentive health care planning is one of the key parts of any… Read More »
What Are the Elements of a Valid Will in Florida?
Whether you live in Tampa or elsewhere in the state of Florida, one of the most important aspects of the estate planning process is drafting a will. Unlike some other states, the requirements for a valid will in Florida are very specific, and state law does not recognize certain types of wills that other… Read More »
What You Should Know About Prenuptial Agreements Before Divorce
When you are thinking about filing for divorce in Florida, you should always work with an experienced Tampa divorce attorney to ensure that your case runs as smoothly as possible. One of the ways in which your divorce might not go exactly as planned is if you have a premarital agreement—also known as a… Read More »
