Post-Divorce Legal Issues

Divorce can be highly stressful for almost everyone involved. Many people believe if they simply get the divorce finalized, they will be able to fully move on with their lives and never look back. Unfortunately, this is often not the case, as many legal issues may continue to arise for months or even years following the finalization of a divorce. The following are some common issues that many former couples may continue to face post-divorce.

• Child custody modification—Though a custody order and parenting agreement may work for all parties at the time of the divorce, circumstances may change and one or both parents may wish to alter the original agreement for various reasons. If the parties cannot all agree on the changes, you may have to go to court and have a judge decide. Florida law requires that someone have a material change in circumstances in order to approve a custody modification.
• Child support modification—Similar to custody changes, if a party requests a modification of a child support order, Florida law requires they prove a substantial change in circumstances. This may include a significant decrease in ability to pay for the paying parent, or an increase in the child’s expenses for the receiving parent.
• Child relocation—If parents do not agree on the relocation of a child to another city or state, they will likely go to court to argue why or why not the child should be relocated. Florida law requires courts to examine and weigh many factors to decide whether relocation is in the best interests of the child.
• Spousal support modification—Similar to child support modifications, courts require that the spouse requesting the modification show an involuntary, unexpected, and substantial change in circumstances that affects their need for support (for the receiving party) or their ability to pay (for the paying party).
• Enforcing court orders—Simply because a judge signed a court order for divorce settlements, custody arrangements, child or spousal support, or more, does not mean that your former spouse is going to adhere to the agreement. If this occurs, you may have to return to court to have the original divorce order enforced.

You do not want to have to hire a new family law attorney every time a new legal issue arises after your divorce. For this reason, you should always choose an attorney who is willing to continue handling your case for a long as necessary after your divorce and who knows how to handle a wide variety of family law matters.

Contact an experienced Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale Family Law Attorney

If you are facing divorce or any post-divorce issues, please do not hesitate to contact the office of experienced lawyer Alan R. Burton to discuss your case. Because you can never predict what kinds of issues may arise during or after a divorce, you always want to make sure you have an attorney who is highly skilled in all types of family law issues. Call our office today at 954-519-2314 to schedule a free initial consultation.