Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Weighing Annulment vs. Divorce
When couples contemplate ending a marriage, rarely does the thought of asking for annulment, instead of divorce, occur to them. While most people have some vague idea of what annulment means, many associate it with a religious procedure intended to erase the marriage. Religious-based annulments certainly exist, but are wholly separate from the civil… Read More »
Navigating Summer Vacations and Shared Custody of Your Child
Children impatiently wait for summer vacation most the year, as they dream about being free from the strictures of school and schedules. For parents, however, this time of year can bring a lot of stress, especially if they share custody of a child. Planning summer getaways and figuring out child care when school is… Read More »
How Courts Treat Spousal Gifts in Divorce
Exchanging gifts with friends and family is a traditional way to show how much one cares, and even before marriage, exchanging gifts between spouses is common, even expected to some extent. When the relationship is good, the effort and expense of obtaining and sharing gifts between spouses are not given a second thought. However,… Read More »
How Will the New Rules in Family Court Cases Affect You?
Entering the legal process to resolve disputes is a stressful and overwhelming situation for most people. Many of the procedures and terms used by court officials and attorneys sound foreign and intimidating to the participants. Divorce is one of the most common ways people interact with the legal system, and any matter concerning family… Read More »
Does Florida Permit Relatives to Adopt a Child?
The notion of adoption is usually associated with a couple working with an adoption agency to add a baby or young child to their family. Certainly, this type of adoption does happen on a regular basis, but as recently discussed on this blog, there are other kinds of adoption that do not involve strangers… Read More »
How to Petition for a Stepparent Adoption in Florida
Most depictions of stepparents in the media present callous individuals who detest any children from the first marriage. This image of the cruel stepparent diminishes the many caring and healthy relationships shared between stepchildren and their stepparents. In fact, some stepparents become so attached they petition to adopt the stepchild, thereby assuming all rights… Read More »
Child Custody Concerns for Military Personnel Post-Divorce
Having and raising a family while being an active member of the military is no easy task. Being away from one’s children and spouse during the long periods of deployment is hard because this parent misses out on a lot of childhood milestones and daily life experiences. Deployment is known to put strains on… Read More »
Filing for Divorce as a Stay-at-Home Spouse
When someone starts contemplating divorce, a number of considerations must be factored into the final decision. For spouses who chose to pause their career in favor of raising children, the financial implications of divorce cannot be overstated. Concerns about supporting oneself and one’s children is naturally paramount, and can specifically manifest as worries over… Read More »
Special Considerations Same-Sex Couples Face in Divorce
The legal landscape on marriage and divorce for same-sex couples has changed dramatically over the past few years. Until very recently, 2015 to be precise, marriage between same-sex couples was not legal nationwide. Thirty-seven states granted same-sex couples the right to marry, while others took action to ban gay marriage to prevent these unions… Read More »
Divorcing without Conflict
Separating divorce from the notions of courtroom disputes and drawn-out litigation is hard to do. As this depiction is really the only one that is written about or appears on television. Obviously, if a couple chooses to divorce, the relationship has not been in a good place for some time, but ending the marriage… Read More »
