Family Law Practice

TAMPA FAMILY LAW AND DIVORCE ATTORNEYS

Family law matters affect much more than legal rights. Divorce, parenting disputes, support issues, or other changes within a family can affect children, finances, property, housing, business interests, and long-term personal relationships.

The family law attorneys at The Solomon Law Group, P.A. represent individuals and families in divorce and other family law matters in Tampa and throughout Florida.

We work closely with clients to identify their immediate concerns, understand their long-term priorities, and develop a legal strategy appropriate for their circumstances. Our attorneys provide clear guidance concerning the court process, available options, financial considerations, parenting issues, and the practical consequences of important decisions.

Whenever appropriate, we seek negotiated resolutions that reduce unnecessary conflict and allow the parties greater control over the outcome. When an agreement cannot be reached, we are prepared to present and defend our client’s position through hearings, mediation, trial, and, when appropriate, appellate proceedings.

FLORIDA DIVORCE AND DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE

Florida law refers to divorce as a dissolution of marriage. A dissolution proceeding may require the parties to address property and debts, alimony, parental responsibility, time-sharing, child support, attorney’s fees, and other financial or parenting issues.

Our Tampa divorce attorneys assist clients with matters involving:

• Contested divorce
• Uncontested divorce
• High-asset and high-net-worth divorce
• Divorce involving business interests
• Divorce involving professional practices
• Divorce involving real estate
• Divorce involving retirement accounts
• Divorce involving significant marital debt
• Military divorce
• Simplified dissolution when legally appropriate
• Post-judgment enforcement
• Modification of existing family-law orders
• Appeals in appropriate cases

Every divorce is different. The proper approach depends on the length of the marriage, the parties’ finances, the needs of any children, the nature of the marital assets and liabilities, and the disputed issues involved.

UNCONTESTED DIVORCE

An uncontested divorce may be possible when both spouses agree on all material issues and are prepared to sign the necessary documents.

Those issues may include:

• Division of marital property
• Allocation of marital debts
• Alimony
• Parenting responsibilities
• Parenting plans
• Time-sharing schedules
• Child support
• Health insurance
• Responsibility for children’s expenses
• Attorney’s fees and costs

Even when the parties are in general agreement, the final documents should clearly state their rights and obligations. An incomplete or ambiguous agreement can lead to later disputes and enforcement proceedings.

Our attorneys assist clients with preparing, reviewing, and completing uncontested dissolution matters when appropriate.

CONTESTED DIVORCE

A divorce is contested when the spouses cannot agree on one or more material issues. Contested cases may require financial discovery, depositions, appraisals, business valuations, expert opinions, mediation, evidentiary hearings, or trial.

Disputed issues may involve:

• Identification of marital and nonmarital property
• Valuation of assets
• Allocation of debts
• Dissipation or concealment of assets
• Alimony
• Parental responsibility
• Parenting plans and time-sharing
• Child support
• Relocation
• Attorney’s fees
• Enforcement of temporary orders
• Exclusive use of a residence
• Temporary financial support

We work with clients to organize the relevant facts and financial records, evaluate available evidence, and prepare for each stage of the proceeding.

HIGH-ASSET AND HIGH-NET-WORTH DIVORCE

Divorces involving substantial or complicated assets require careful financial analysis. The parties may disagree about ownership, value, classification, income, or the proper method for distributing property.

A high-asset divorce may involve:

• Businesses Closely held
• Professional practices
• Corporate ownership interests
• Partnerships and limited liability companies
• Commercial and residential real estate
• Investment and brokerage accounts
• Retirement plans and pensions
• Deferred compensation
• Stock options and restricted stock
• Trust interests
• Valuable personal property
• Significant marital debt
• Complex compensation arrangements
• Assets located outside Florida
• Alleged concealment or dissipation of assets

When appropriate, our attorneys may work with accountants, valuation professionals, real estate appraisers, financial advisers, or other qualified professionals to evaluate the financial issues involved.

EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF MARITAL ASSETS AND DEBTS

Florida courts divide marital assets and liabilities through a process known as equitable distribution. Equitable does not always mean that every individual asset will be divided physically or that each spouse will receive identical property.

Before property can be distributed, the parties may need to determine:

• Whether an asset or liability is marital or nonmarital
• The value of the property
• Whether marital funds increased the value of nonmarital property
• Whether the spouse transferred or depleted assets
• The amount of marital debt
• The appropriate date for valuation
• Whether an unequal distribution is legally justified
• How retirement or investment accounts should be divided
• Whether an asset should be sold, transferred, or retained

Our attorneys assist clients in identifying, documenting, valuing, and proposing a division of marital property and debt.

BUSINESS INTERESTS IN DIVORCE

When one or both spouses own a business, professional practice, partnership interest, or membership interest in a limited liability company, the divorce may involve complicated valuation and ownership questions.

Issues may include:

• Whether the ownership interest is marital or nonmarital
• The value of the business
• Personal and enterprise goodwill
• Owner compensation and benefits
• Retained earnings
• Business debts and liabilities
• Access to company financial records
• Transfers to related parties
• Personal expenses paid by the business
• Hidden or unreported income
• Buyout or offset arrangements
• Continued ownership after the divorce

Our family-law and business attorneys can coordinate their review of the legal and financial issues when a divorce involves a privately held company or professional practice.

ALIMONY AND SPOUSAL SUPPORT

Alimony may be requested in a Florida dissolution proceeding when permitted by law. The availability, type, amount, and duration of alimony depend on the governing statutes and the specific financial circumstances of the parties.

Alimony issues may involve:

• The requesting spouse’s need
• The other spouse’s ability to pay
• The length of the marriage
• The parties’ incomes and earning capacities
• Standard of living during marriage
• Age and health of the parties
• Contributions to marriage
• Childcare responsibilities
• Available financial resources
• Tax and retirement considerations
• Modification or termination of an existing award
• Enforcement of unpaid support

Our attorneys represent parties seeking alimony and parties opposing or seeking to limit an alimony request.

PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY AND PARENTING PLANS

Florida family courts use the terms parental responsibility, parenting plan, and time-sharing when addressing the relationship between parents and their children.

A parenting plan may address:

• Responsibility for major decisions
• Education
• Medical and dental care
• Extracurricular activities
• Day-to-day communication
• Exchange locations and transportation
• Regular weekly schedules
• Holidays and school breaks
• Summer schedules
• Travel
• Communication between a parent and child
• Procedures for resolving future disagreements

The child’s best interests are the primary consideration when a Florida court establishes or modifies parental responsibility and a parenting plan.

Although people often search for a “child custody attorney,” Florida law generally addresses these issues through parental responsibility and time-sharing rather than awarding traditional custody labels.

TIME-SHARING AND PARENTING SCHEDULES

A time-sharing schedule determines when a child will spend time with each parent. The schedule may be agreed upon by the parents or determined by the court.

Time-sharing issues may involve:

• Weekday and weekend schedules
• School-year schedules
• Summer schedules
• Holidays
• Birthdays
• School vacations
• Transportation and exchanges
• Travel outside Florida
• Communication with the child
• Supervised time-sharing
• Missed or denied time-sharing
• Modification of an existing schedule
• Enforcement of parenting plan provisions

A workable schedule should consider the child’s age, school, activities, transportation needs, family circumstances, and the parents’ ability to communicate and cooperate.

CHILD SUPPORT

Florida child support is generally determined under statutory guidelines. The calculation may consider the parents’ incomes, time-sharing arrangement, health-insurance expenses, childcare costs, and other permitted adjustments.

Child-support matters may involve:

• Initial child-support determinations
• Calculation of each parent’s income
• Self-employment or business income
• Bonuses, commissions, and overtime
• Imputed income
• Health insurance
• Daycare and childcare expenses
• Uncovered medical costs
• Retroactive support
• Modification of support
• Enforcement of unpaid support
• Income withholding
• Support involving unusual expenses

The amount of support depends on the financial evidence and the circumstances recognized under Florida law.

PATERNITY ACTIONS

A paternity case may establish a child’s legal father and address related parental rights and financial responsibilities.

A paternity proceeding may include:

• Establishment or disestablishment of paternity
• Genetic testing
• Parental responsibility
• Parenting plans
• Time-sharing schedules
• Child support
• Health insurance
• Payment of certain pregnancy or birth-related expenses
• Retroactive support
• Amendment of appropriate records
• Enforcement or modification of existing orders

Either parent may need legal representation to ensure that the final orders clearly address the child’s needs and each parent’s rights and responsibilities.

FAMILY RELOCATION

A proposed move involving a child can substantially affect an existing parenting plan and time-sharing schedule. Florida law establishes specific requirements for certain relocations that materially affect the current schedule.

Relocation matters may involve:

• Written agreements permitting relocation
• Petitions to relocate
• Objections to proposed relocation
• Temporary relocation requests
• Modification of a parenting plan
• Revised transportation arrangements
• Allocation of travel expenses
• Long-distance time-sharing
• School and community considerations
• Requests for the return of a child following an unauthorized move

A parent should obtain legal advice before relocating with a child when the move may be governed by Florida’s relocation statute. Moving without the required agreement or court approval can lead to significant legal consequences.

MODIFICATION OF FAMILY-LAW ORDERS

Changes in employment, income, health, residence, parenting circumstances, or a child’s needs may justify a request to modify an existing order when the legal requirements are satisfied.

Modification proceedings may involve:

• Parenting plans
• Time-sharing schedules
• Child support
• Alimony
• Relocation
• Health-insurance obligations
• Responsibility for children’s expenses
• Other modifiable provisions of a final judgment

Not every change is sufficient to support modification. The party requesting a change must satisfy the applicable legal standard and present adequate evidence.

ENFORCEMENT AND CONTEMPT PROCEEDINGS

When a party fails to comply with a family-law order, the other party may seek enforcement through the court.

Enforcement matters may involve:

• Unpaid child support
• Unpaid alimony
• Failure to transfer property
• Failure to refinance or pay marital debt
• Denial of time-sharing
• Failure to follow a parenting plan
• Failure to provide required financial information
• Failure to maintain insurance
• Violation of settlement terms
• Recovery of attorney’s fees when authorized

The remedies available depend on the nature of the obligation, the language of the order, and whether the violation was willful.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND INJUNCTION PROCEEDINGS

Domestic violence allegations can affect personal safety, housing, access to children, possession of firearms, employment, and related family-law proceedings.

Our attorneys represent parties in appropriate matters involving:

• Petitions for injunctions
• Defense against injunction requests
• Temporary injunction hearings
• Final injunction hearings
• Alleged violations of injunctions
• Parenting and time-sharing issues connected to safety concerns
• Coordination with pending divorce or paternity proceedings

Anyone facing immediate danger should contact law enforcement or emergency services. A family-law attorney can address the civil legal proceedings and their effect on related family matters.

MILITARY DIVORCE AND FAMILY-LAW MATTERS

Military families may face additional issues involving jurisdiction, deployment, military pay, retirement benefits, housing allowances, healthcare benefits, and parenting schedules.

Military family-law matters may involve:

• Division of military retirement benefits
• Survivor Benefit Plan issues
• Military pay and allowances
• Deployment and time-sharing
• Jurisdiction and residency
• Service of process
• Federal protections affecting servicemembers
• Child support and alimony calculations
• Former-spouse benefits
• Enforcement of military-related provisions

These matters require consideration of both Florida family law and applicable federal law.

ADOPTION

Adoption creates a permanent legal parent-child relationship. Different forms of adoption involve different consent, notice, background check, and court requirements.

Our attorneys assist with appropriate adoption matters involving:

• Stepparent adoption
• Relative adoption
• Adult adoption
• Private adoption
• Termination of parental rights connected to adoption
• Consent and notice issues
• Finalization proceedings
• Amendment of birth records

The requirements depend on the type of adoption, the individuals involved, and whether the matter is contested.

COLLABORATIVE DIVORCE

Collaborative divorce is a voluntary process in which the spouses and their collaboratively trained attorneys agree to work toward a negotiated resolution without asking the court to decide the disputed issues during the collaborative process.

The process may involve neutral financial professionals, mental-health professionals, or other specialists when appropriate.

Collaborative divorce may allow the parties to address:

• Property and debt division
• Parenting plans
• Time-sharing
• Child support
• Alimony
• Business interests
• Financial disclosure
• Communication and decision-making

Collaborative divorce is not suitable for every family. Both parties must agree to participate, provide required information, and negotiate in good faith.

MEDIATION AND NEGOTIATED FAMILY-LAW RESOLUTIONS

Mediation provides the parties with an opportunity to negotiate with the assistance of a neutral mediator. The mediator does not impose a decision but helps the parties explore possible resolutions.

Family law mediation may address:

• Divorce
• Property division
• Alimony
• Parenting plans
• Time-sharing
• Child support
• Relocation
• Modification
• Enforcement disputes
• Attorney’s fees

An agreement reached through mediation should be carefully documented so that the parties’ rights and responsibilities are clear and enforceable.

When settlement is not possible or would not adequately protect the client’s interests, we are prepared to proceed before the court.

FAMILY LAW APPEALS

An appeal is not a new trial. Appellate review generally focuses on whether the trial court committed a reversible legal error and whether that error was properly preserved in the record.

Family law appeals may involve:

• Final judgments of dissolution
• Parenting and time-sharing orders
• Alimony decisions
• Equitable distribution rulings
• Child-support determinations
• Relocation orders
• Attorney’s fee awards
• Certain nonfinal orders
• Post-judgment rulings

Appellate deadlines can be short. A party considering an appeal should seek legal advice promptly after the order is entered.

FAMILY LAW FOR UNMARRIED PARENTS AND COUPLES

Unmarried parents may need assistance with paternity, parental responsibility, time-sharing, child support, relocation, or enforcement.

Unmarried couples may also face disputes involving jointly owned property, shared debts, contracts, business interests, or financial contributions. These issues are not necessarily resolved under the same laws that govern the division of marital property in a divorce.

Our attorneys evaluate the legal relationship between the parties, the ownership documents, available agreements, and the relief permitted under applicable law.

LEGAL OPTIONS FOR SPOUSES LIVING APART

Florida does not use conventional legal separation proceeding in the same manner as some other states. However, spouses who are living apart may have legal options concerning support, parenting arrangements, property, written agreements, or related relief without immediately completing a dissolution of marriage.

The available options depend on the parties’ goals, family circumstances, finances, and existing agreements.

A PRACTICAL AND PERSONAL APPROACH TO FAMILY LAW

A family-law case is not simply a collection of pleadings, financial records, and court dates. The outcome may affect where a person lives, how children divide their time, how property is used, and whether the parties can move forward with financial stability.

Our attorneys provide clients with practical advice concerning:

• Immediate legal and financial priorities
• Preservation of relevant records
• Parenting and communication issues
• Temporary relief
• Settlement options
• Financial disclosure
• Preparation for mediation
• Preparation for hearings or trial
• Compliance with court orders
• Long-term effects of proposed agreements

We approach each matter with attention to the client’s legal position, personal circumstances, and responsibilities to any children involved.

SPEAK WITH A TAMPA FAMILY LAW ATTORNEY

Early legal advice may help protect important rights, preserve relevant evidence, clarify financial obligations, and prevent avoidable mistakes during a divorce or other family-law proceedings.

To discuss divorce, parental responsibility, time-sharing, child support, alimony, paternity, relocation, adoption, modification, enforcement, or another Florida family-law matter, contact The Solomon Law Group, P.A.

CALL OUR OFFICE AT (813) 225-1818

The information provided on this website is for general informational purposes and is not legal advice. Contacting The Solomon Law Group does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send confidential or time-sensitive information until the firm has confirmed that it will represent you. Representation is undertaken only through a written agreement. The outcome of every legal matter depends on its particular facts and applicable law, and no result is guaranteed.