The decision to adopt is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make and you need the right advocate by your side. Florida law establishes a process for step parent adoptions, adoptions by close relatives, adult adoptions and open adoptions. We have facilitated several adoptions in same-sex marriage or partnerships, and and helped individuals […]
How much does a divorce cost?
I’m Mary McDaniel. All potential clients rightly want to know, in advance, how much their legal action is going to cost. There are many factors that affect the cost of a divorce, a modification, or an adoption. For instance, how long an action takes, who the opposing attorney is, and what outcome you are trying […]
Who gets to live in the house during the divorce?
You’re thinking about filing for divorce but you don’t know what your rights are with regard to remaining in the marital home during the divorce? Or you want to know if you can get your spouse out of the home during the divorce? The short answer is that neither party can be forced to move […]
What is a Pre-Trial Order?
You’re thinking about filing for divorce but you want to avoid any unintended consequences. The first document filed in a divorce is called a Petition for Dissolution. As soon as it is filed, and even before the opposing party is served with the Petition, the Court enters a Pre-Trial Order. The Pre-Trial Order prohibits either […]
Collaborative Divorce
Collaborative divorce is an alternative to traditional divorce in which you engage in an adversarial battle and every document in your case is filed in the public record, accessible for everyone you know and will ever know to access. Your entire life will be scrutinized by a litigator looking to paint you in the worst […]
How to talk to your kids about divorce
If you have children and you’re going through a divorce, your biggest concerns are how your kids are going to be affected, when is the best time to tell your children, and how much should you share with them? As a parent you already know that kids, even very young ones, have an uncanny sense […]
Parenting after Divorce
I’m Mary McDaniel. If you’re divorcing with children, you’ll be co-parenting until your kids are grown. You may be attending the same sports events, graduations, and even weddings over the course of your children’s lives. At a minimum, you will be sharing parental responsibility which means that you and your former spouse must communicate about […]
How to Select Your Divorce Attorney
The most important decision you make when you decide to get divorced is, “How do I find the right attorney for me?” My advice is this: hire an attorney that shares your values. Let me tell you what mine are. When it comes to divorce, I believe in getting people divorced quickly, and with as […]