Author Archives: Jay Butchko
What Can I Do if My Ex Owes Me Alimony?
Many people, especially many obligors (people who pay support), think spousal support and child support are in separate categories. They almost view spousal support as optional. But under Florida law, these obligations have the same legal status. So, the same enforcement avenues, including contempt, are usually available for both these payments. Typically, obligees (people… Read More »
What to Expect in a Seminole County Divorce
More people than ever before consider marriage dissolution an acceptable way to end a relationship which, for whatever reason, is unsatisfying. Divorce almost always involves significant emotional and financial distress. Knowing roughly what to expect in an Orange County divorce helps minimize this distress. A partnership with an effective Winter Park divorce attorney helps… Read More »
Move-Away Modifications in Seminole County: Some Basic Arguments
Before they reach age 40, most people move about a dozen times. Since most adults under 40 have young children, most of these moves involve changes in parenting time divisions. Florida lawmakers recently streamlined the process to make these relocations a little easier on everyone. Most relocations involve job changes, which could mean a… Read More »
Why Should Fathers Pursue Paternity Actions?
Many Seminole County single fathers file paternity actions because of the future benefits. For example, under Florida law, legal parents are usually the only people who can become a child’s residential custodian. So, if such a move is on your radar, a paternity action is a necessary first step. Other fathers file paternity actions… Read More »
Parental Rights After Divorce: Five Things to Know
Marriage dissolution changes a family’s living arrangements, at least in most cases. A few divorced spouses continue living together as roommates, but these instances are rare. Furthermore, divorce alters emotional dynamics, especially if either or both spouses remarry. But in many other respects, the family remains the same. That’s especially true in Florida, which… Read More »
A Mother’s Bill of Rights
Two hundred thirty years ago, in September 1789, Congress approved what would soon become the Bill of Rights. The ten Constitutional amendments guaranteed individual rights and further limited the power of the federal government. Granted, a paternity action does not have quite the same gravitas. But to your family, a paternity action could be… Read More »
Top Seven Ways to Collect Past-Due Child Support
If you are not getting the full amount of child support you are owed, you are not alone. In fact, obligors owe an estimated $10 billion in past due child support. At first, regular payments often become sporadic. Then, they become more and more sporadic until they cease altogether. Partnering with a Maitland family… Read More »
Property Division Contempt Actions: What You Should Know
In a perfect world, people would always follow through with the financial commitments they make during divorce proceedings. But we do not live in a perfect world. So, a Rule 12 contempt action might be necessary. To see how contempt actions work, let’s assume the divorce orders direct Ben to pay certain credit card… Read More »
The Three Cs of Divorce Mediation
Trials only resolve a miniscule number of Orange County divorces. Out-of-court settlements, which usually involve informal or formal mediation, resolve over 90 percent of these cases. Typically, before formal mediation, most litigants think the procedure will be a waste of time. If we could talk out our problems, they reason, we would not have… Read More »
When Should I Modify a Parenting Plan?
A judge may sign an order which says “Final Decree of Divorce,” but these matters are never truly final. At best, they simply lie dormant for a few years. Almost inevitably, life happens, and a divorce modification is necessary. Florida law sets forth a number of factors Seminole County judges must apply in modification… Read More »