Coral Springs Divorce Lawyer

Broward County, Florida attorney specializing in family law cases

When a party to a marriage chooses to seek a divorce in Coral Springs, the best first option is to try reach a comprehensive settlement agreement which resolves all parties’ claims against one another. For some couples; though, it is impossible to arrive at an agreeable marital settlement. In those cases, emotion often drives high-conflict litigation. When faced with a contested divorce, you need an experienced Coral Springs divorce attorney who has “been there and done that” – a family lawyer who gives you the best chance of a favorable outcome in your case in Broward County, Florida courts.

Experience makes a world of difference

At Stuart N. House, P.A., our legal experience spans more than 25 years. As our client, you will receive personalized, attentive service in addition to exceptional representation. We’ll also help you avoid mistakes that can be detrimental to your case. Our guiding principles are designed to facilitate a strong attorney-client relationship by adhering to the following objectives:

establishing and maintaining open and honest communication from the outset;
respecting your time by acting with an appropriate sense of urgency;
remaining sensitive to your individual situation;
identifying key elements of your case while exhibiting empathy and compassion;
employing an efficient solution to resolve your case in a manner that is cost-effective.

When parents face divorce and custody hearings, emotions tend to run high, tempers are more likely to be short and stress may seem unavoidable. Our experienced, professional Coral Springs divorce lawyers will mitigate these feelings by delivering consistently calm, rational representation when you need it most.

Florida law: Conditions for divorce

According to Florida law, a divorce may only be granted if one of two conditions are met:

the marriage must be irretrievably broken;
one of the parties is incapacitated.

The divorcing parties must present evidence at a hearing to prove that at least one of the two required conditions has been met. If the case does not involve minors and if neither party denies the marriage is irretrievably broken, the court usually will order for dissolution of the marriage. Otherwise, the court could take further action, thus complicating the divorce proceedings.

An experienced family lawyer in Coral Springs brings clarity from the moment a divorce filing is being considered. Highly experienced divorce lawyers are better able to assess all available options and present them to the client in a manner that is clear and relatable. In addition, having legal counsel could help clients better understand which actions are necessary to increase the likelihood of achieving their desired outcome. A family law attorney is able to view legal issues objectively and leverage their perspective to advocate for their clients more effectively than those who choose to self-represent.

PRACTICE AREAS

How is property divided?

In recent years, significant changes have been made to the laws affecting Florida family court and the division of marital property (assets and debts). The first change involves how the courts view separate property brought into the marriage; the second involves an interim partial distribution of property so a couple can move forward.

Among the many tasks undertaken by our Firm’s divorce lawyers to protect a client’s rights in property settlement:

documenting property and identifying whether it is marital or non-marital property;
valuing marital property and, in some cases, establishing the increased value of an asset during the time of the marriage in order to divide only a portion of the value of that asset;
understanding the tax implications inherent in the division of some assets;
properly dividing complex assets, such as pension funds and family-owned businesses.

What about custody?

Broward County courts have implemented policies to ensure that minors have frequent and continuing contact with each parent after divorce or separation. In most cases, each party would retain full parental rights. Both parties may agree on how responsibilities would be assigned, or the court may order each parent to be responsible for specific aspects of the child’s welfare — including health care, dental needs, religion and education. It gets complicated, and that’s where the benefits of hiring a Coral Springs family law attorney skilled in disputes involving child custody are revealed.

Judge’s key question: What’s best for the kids?

In most cases, judges issue their rulings based on the answer to this question. Sometimes their findings are clear cut:

Example 1: The father has a good job, a steady income and has never been in trouble with the law. The mother has no job, and repeatedly has failed to bring the children to school on time, allegedly due to a drug problem. In this case – everything else equal – the judge likely would surmise that the children’s quality of life would be better and more stable with their father, and he would be awarded primary custody.
Example 2: The father has a good job and a steady income, but a credible witness testifies that he has stricken the child on a couple of occasions. Another witness claims that the father becomes belligerent when he drinks – which is often – and that he has a gambling problem. The mother doesn’t work, but her parents frequently pick the children up from school, pay for their school supplies and provide them with hot meals. The judge likely would rule that the mother has a better support system, and that the children would be better off in her care.

Prenuptial agreements

If you have considerably more assets than your spouse, and wish to safeguard those assets before getting married, it is advisable to enter into a written contract with your future significant other. Known as a prenuptial agreement – or “prenup,” for short – this type of agreement lists property and possessions of each party entering the marriage, and explains what would happen to them in the event of a divorce. Our law firm specializes in writing prenuptial agreements that help ensure your peace of mind. Let us show you how a bit of planning now can save you a small fortune later.

Retain a Coral Springs family law attorney who will fight for you

Since 1991, the divorce attorneys at Stuart N. House, P.A. have provided high-quality representation to family law clients in Coral Springs and throughout Broward County, in matters involving custody, allocation and distribution of child support, spousal support and alimony payments. All family law matters are of great importance to us, and we understand that each client could respond differently to the stress that is often involved with legal proceedings. In addition to providing thorough representation, we help each client understand the court process while we simultaneously gather important facts that are relevant to the case.

Our law firm carefully monitors changes to the Sunshine State’s laws, and adjusts its strategies accordingly. Divorce laws in Florida have provisions for fairness in the division of property between the parties. While an equitable division of property is often an equal division of property, the determination of what is equitable in any given case depends on specific circumstances. We will bring thoughtful yet aggressive representation to your contested or uncontested divorce including a fair division of your marital assets. With our experience and ability, we will help you navigate throughout your divorce with consideration and empathy to your specific situation.