Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Common Mistakes for Divorcees in Retirement
When you combine the aging population of our state with the typical rate of filing for divorce, you’ll see why it’s important to think about divorce issues that retirees are likely to face. To be sure, data from the census suggests that Florida has the fifth-highest divorce rate in the country, with more than… Read More »
Dividing Military Benefits in a Divorce
Even in the most amicable and uncontested divorces in Florida, dealing with property division can be a frustrating and confusing process. How will your assets and debts be divided? And will you and your spouse be required to sell certain property you’ve acquired during the marriage? In Florida, it’s important to remember that a… Read More »
Dementia and Competency to Seek Divorce
If an older adult in Florida suffers from dementia, will a court consider him competent to file for divorce? That’s the question that a Palm Beach County circuit judge recently faced when 87-year-old Martin Zelman filed for divorce. Ultimately, Circuit Judge Charles Burton decided that Zelman “isn’t competent enough to seek a divorce” from… Read More »
Complicated Feelings and Military Divorce
Does filing for divorce still have the stigma it carried decades ago? While many Americans have come to view divorce as a situation for which we should express sympathy and kindness, some still feel there’s some dishonor in being a divorcee. In particular, according to a recent story in Stars and Stripes Magazine, stigma… Read More »
Florida Court Rules on HOA Documents
If you’re involved in a dispute with your homeowners’ association in Hollywood, Florida, you’ll want to know more about a recent decision from Florida’s Fourth District Court of Appeal. In Pudlit 2 Joint Venture LLP v. Westwood Gardens Homeowners Association Inc., the court held that the governing documents of a homeowners’ association, rather than… Read More »
Alimony Reform and Co-Parenting Issues
Did you know that Florida lawmakers have introduced a new issue into the bill aimed at alimony reform? And, according to a recent article in the Orlando Sentinel, many legislators aren’t happy about it. In short, Senator Tom Lee asked Senator Kelli Stargel, who sponsored the alimony reform measure, to include a provision about… Read More »
Same-Sex Divorce Upheld in Florida Appellate Court
Earlier this year, same-sex marriage became legal in Florida. While this change in the law suggested that same-sex divorce also could become a possibility in our state, no clear decisions had made same-sex divorce clearly permissible throughout Florida. However, a recent decision by Florida’s 2nd District Court of Appeal issued a decision “cementing the… Read More »
Funding for Healthy Co-Parenting Research in Florida
Many couples who file for divorce will need to consider the effects of their decision on their children. Indeed, questions of child custody and visitation can become extremely contentious—even in divorces that at first appeared to be uncontested. According to a recent article in the Tallahassee Democrat, researchers at Florida State University just received… Read More »
Can Investors Force Condo Owners Out?
When you buy a condominium, you know that, in most cases, you’ll need to abide by HOA rules or guidelines whether you like them or not. In some situations, these rules and regulations result in a contentious condo dispute. Yet most condo owners continue to think of themselves as homeowners, investing in a significant… Read More »
Drop in Military Divorce Rate
How often do military spouses get divorced in Florida? According to a recent article from Military.com, the military divorce rate is at its “lowest level in 10 years.” To be sure, based on data released from the Department of Defense, the divorce rate among military couples dropped again from last year, allowing the military… Read More »
