Every state has a jurisdiction requirement for filing lawsuits. In Florida (and many other states), in order to file for divorce one party has to have lived in the state for at least six months. Wherever you decide to file, you must meet the jurisdiction requirements. Speak with a local family... View More

You indicated that each of you "dismissed" the other spouse. A party to a case cannot dismiss a case filed by another party. Do you mean that the respective courts dismissed both cases? If so, when a motion to dismiss was filed, you should have responded that you "retained [y]our... View More

Whoever has been appointed managing conservator of the children can consent, orally or in writing, for the children to live with you.

That consent will not, however, accomplish certain goals like enabling you to enroll the children in a public school, consent to medical treatment, consent... View More

As long as one of the parents or the child lives in Tampa then you can file a motion for enforcement. You may need to attache a certified copy of the Georgia court order (parenting plan). Speak with a local family lawyer for more specific advice.

No, a court does not allow a father to terminate a child support order because he does not see the child. If you want visitation you will have to file the proper action and seek those rights. You could be paying child support for 18 years and never see the child. You will need to take the mother... View More

The answer to your original question is no. Your 14 year old child cannot decide he is no longer going to go to visit his father. If you want to change the visitation and/or remove some visitation, you will have to take the father back to court. But if you do not send the child, you could be... View More

It is uncertain what papers you were served with that contained false statements. I would suggest you speak directly to an attorney so you can explain what action has been filed, what papers you were served with, and get some clarity.

If you have no access to bank accounts and cash, I would use credit cards, borrow money from family & friends, or whatever you have to do, to hire an attorney. Once you use those funds to retain an attorney, that attorney can seek funds from the court on a temporary basis to pay your... View More

You may be able to bring a case for grandparent visitation rights.

It would be your burden to prove by "clear and convincing evidence" that you had a significant beneficial relationship with the child. You would also have to should that it is in the child's best interests... View More

If one parent passes away, generally custody goes to the surviving parent. However, there are exceptions to this. If the Court has entered a temporary guardianship order, then the Court has granted custody to a third-party instead of the surviving parent. If the surviving parent wants to fight... View More

The answer to your question depends on what relief you are seeking. If you just want to get divorced then a default can help end the case. If there is a child involved then the court cannot rule on children's issues with a default so those issues are reserved, but you still get divorced. If... View More

Nothing is "automatic". Do you have a court order granting you custody? Does it grant it to you, or to you and your spouse? If there is no court order then you do not have legal custody and should go to court to seek custody or guardianship, whichever is appropriate in your case. Talk... View More

Your custody order should specify what days the non-custodial parent is entitled to visitation. While it is considered good parenting to mutually agree on alternate dates if there is something that interferes with a noncustodial parent’s specified days, in the absence of such an agreement, the... View More

If someone’s not sticking to the parenting plan, there are two ways to handle it. One’s pretty straightforward, the other’s a bit more flexible.

First up, contempt of court. If they’re breaking the rules, they could face up to 10 days in jail for each violation.

Second, you... View More

File for a modification of custody and the best advice I can give is to hire an attorney to assist you in this action. And if the father has primary physical custody you should file the action where the father lives, as he is the defendant.

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answered on Aug 20, 2024

It's important to remember that every case is unique, and the outcome of any custody or support matter depends on various factors specific to your situation. While general principles can guide decisions, the specifics of your case, such as past behavior, the care you provide, and your... View More

This seems to be a tense situation. If your son's wife just gave him divorce papers, he does not have to move out right away, but maybe it's better if he does. I don't know what type of case she thinks she can make, but taking a child to his grandparents' house doesn't seem threatening.

No, in order to terminate someone's parental rights you have to obtain an order from the court. Which means you must file the proper action, have the defendant served, and appear before the court and plead your case.

Terminating your parental rights will not terminate a child support order, nor will it relieve you of the financial responsibility of paying child support. It will simply mean you have no access to the child and no relationship.

You need an attorney, that is my advice. A attorney that can get temporary matters in place so that you have your household expenses taken care of while your divorce is pending. Because until you get a temporary order, he could stop paying all the bills and there would be nothing you could do... View More