Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Using DNA Testing to Establish Paternity
As technological advances have significantly increased the accuracy of paternity tests, courts have increasingly turned to genetic or DNA tests to determine a child’s biological father. This type of test can measure probability of paternity at a rate of 99.99 percent. As a result, DNA test results are accepted by courts nationwide as proof… Read More »
Fort Lauderdale Grandparents Rights Attorney
What Rights Do I Have to See My Grandchildren? Under a Florida law that became effective in 2015, grandparents are entitled to petition the court for visitation with their grandchildren in certain limited circumstances. While it is possible for grandparents to get court-ordered visitation, it can be an uphill battle. Grandparents can only ask… Read More »
Florida Legislature Looks to Modernize Birth Certificates
Along with the legalization of same-sex marriages has come a tremendous shift in the traditional labels that state forms and other legal documents use to designate parents and their children. In response, some state legislators are looking to modernize Florida’s birth certificates in recognition of the fact that not all families fit the traditional… Read More »
Fort Lauderdale Divorce Attorney
Bankruptcy and Your Florida Divorce Divorce and financial difficulties tend to go hand in hand, particularly when one household becomes two, with each party having his or her own expenses. As a result, you may consider whether filing a joint bankruptcy prior to your divorce would be beneficial to you. Another option is to… Read More »
How Does a Florida Court Determine Timesharing?
As is the case in most states, Florida courts base custody decisions on the best interest of the child. Fla Stat. §61.13 sets forth the various factors that help a court determine whether a parenting plan or allocation of parental responsibilities is in the best interest of the child. In the text of its… Read More »
Divorce Attorney in Fort Lauderdale
New Studies Examine How Divorce Impacts Children’s Mental Health Many couples end up staying together because they mistakenly believe that doing so is in their children’s best interests. However, the results of new studies both in the United States and abroad show that children who spend time with both parents after divorce are no… Read More »
Changing Beneficiary Designations Following a Divorce
While changing beneficiary designations following a divorce may seem like common sense, it is easier than you might think to simply overlook a necessary change. Among the most important accounts that necessitate a beneficiary designation change are life insurance policies, pension plans, IRAs, 401(k) plans, and other retirement plans. Since many of these accounts… Read More »
Avoiding Financial Disaster in Your Divorce
Divorce inevitably has a negative effect on your financial situation, simply because your household often is changing from having two parents and two incomes to having a single parent and a single income. Despite the change in income, however, you still have to pay many or even all of the same bills. Combine this… Read More »
Enforcing Your Florida Child Support Order
For many divorced or separated Floridians, collecting child support can be a difficult task. Fortunately, Florida law does contain several different methods of child support enforcement for parents who are owed receive child support, as well as serious repercussions for those parents who fail to comply with their support orders. The state of Florida… Read More »
When Does My Florida Child Support Order End?
Florida Statute 61.13(1)(a) provides that Florida child support orders terminate when a child turns 18 years of age. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. In some situations, a child support order will end prior to a child’s 18th birthday, such as if the child gets married before age 18, or a court… Read More »