Jacksonville Divorce Lawyer Blog

AshleyMadison.com is an unusual dating site; they cater to married people looking to date outside of their relationships. The site usually draws around eight to ten thousand visitors a day, but a recent nationwide cold snap pushed the number of visitors up to twenty five thousand. That’s not terrible news for couples living in Florida – also known as the “sunshine state.”

According to company founder Noel Biderman, he was not surprised by the spike in visitors during the recent cold snap, saying that when people are trapped indoors they tend to explore the internet more. He reports that January is typically a strong month for sign-ups (perhaps coincidentally, January is also a strong month for divorce filings). The day after Valentine’s Day is also quite popular.

Biderman has come under intense criticism for condoning and even encouraging people to be unfaithful to their spouses. But Biderman defends his business, saying that his members are at least being honest about their marital status, unlike on other dating sites. He also believes that if infidelity were condoned, there would be fewer divorces. The “happily married” father of two says that he is not anti-marriage; he just believes that sexual monogamy destroys loving relationships.

Find out more about what days are the most popular on an infidelity website at Infidelity Web site popular in Lexington.

If your marriage is suffering due to the infidelity of your partner, please contact our Jacksonville, Florida area law firm for divorce legal counsel.

A new research study from Pennsylvania's Wharton School undertaken on behalf of the research group Council on Contemporary Families came out recently. The report indicates that those with a college education are more likely to be married, and to be happy in their marriages. According to the report, college educated women in particular were more likely to be married at the age of forty than their less educated counterparts, and were more likely to report that they were happy in their relationships.

Back in 1950, only seventy four percent of forty year old women had been married at some point, compared to ninety percent of women with only a high school diploma. As of 2008, the numbers had changed to eighty six percent and eighty eight percent, respectively. Additionally, the women with college degrees were much less likely to be divorced; by the age of forty, seventy six percent of college grads were still married, compared to only sixty three percent of high school graduates.

Read more about the new study that shows how college education correlates to happier marriages at College Linked to Marriage.

If you live in the northeast Florida area and are considering divorce, please contact our firm for divorce law counsel.

Dennis Hopper is reportedly dying of prostate cancer. But friends say that he is holding onto life until he can do just one more thing – divorce his wife. The star of Easy Rider and other Hollywood hits once lavished his wife, Victoria Duffy, with expensive gifts, including a ranch, artwork, and expensive clothing. But Hopper apparently feels that his wife is trying to get more from his estate than she is entitled to under the couple’s prenuptial agreement. A friend of Hopper reports that the star is angry at his wife’s greed, saying the more he gave her the more she wanted.

According to the prenuptial agreement, Ms. Duffy is entitled to a quarter of Hopper’s estate. Hopper reportedly filed for divorce to keep her from contesting his will, which leaves her the same amount as the prenuptial agreement, after he passes.

Ms. Duffy has not been present at Hopper’s bedside during his cancer treatment. He has surrounded himself with his children and his ex-wife, saying that he only wants to spend time with his family and close friends. Ms. Duffy has remained at the couple’s home during Hopper’s treatment. Hopper’s rep admitted that the couple has been having trouble and that Hopper wants peace and quiet in his hospital room. The couple has been married for over thirteen years and have a six year old daughter.

A source close to Ms. Duffy has charged that Hopper’s pain medication is impairing his judgment. Hopper’s associates have denied those claims. Read more about Dennis Hopper’s divorce at Dennis Hopper rushes to divorce wife as he lies on death bed.

If you are considering divorce, please contact our firm for family law counsel.

In the past, a divorce generally meant that the two parties were completely split from each other, with only limited interaction if required by children or alimony. But the modern divorce is quite different. Women and men who don’t “keep in touch” after the divorce are in danger of being seen as unsophisticated and insecure. A new book called "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Ex", by Heather Belle and Michelle Fiordaliso outlines the new rules of ended relationships.

The new paradigm of divorce is being fueled by changes in marriage itself. Couples generally wait longer to marry, meaning that they have already experienced multiple relationships and breakups, so they are able to handle them better than someone who married his or her high school sweetheart. Social networking, cell phones and email also make it easier to remain amicable without speaking face to face.

Therapists warn that it may seem healthy to remain in contact with an ex, but not to live in the past. Pining after your former partner can keep you from committing to a new relationship. If you find yourself thinking about your ex all the time, engaging in fights with them, or discouraging their new relationships, it is time to seek professional therapy. Read more about maintaining a modern relationship with your ex-spouse at The ex factor: Old flames in a new light.

If you are considering divorce, please contact our northeastern Florida firm for legal counsel.

A recent trend that has been sweeping the nation is the divorce party; women and men both throw these parties to symbolize a rite of passage back into being single. What is the etiquette of throwing a divorce party? The following tips will help you plan the perfect bash:

- Wait until the divorce is final
- Make sure your kids are out of the house
- Don’t schedule anything important for the next day
- Invite anyone who has stood by you through the divorce, including your divorce lawyer
- Avoid inviting anyone who might think less of you if they see you in “party mode”
- Consider inviting your ex-spouse, as long as you have divorced amicably
- Keep the mood light and happy and focused on the future; don’t dwell on the negative
- Plan to watch divorce themed movies like the First Wives Club, Le Divorce, War of the Roses, or Waiting to Exhale
- Consider a “burning of the marriage license” ceremony
- Don’t do anything you will regret, like bad-mouthing your ex, burning mementos that may be important to your children, or becoming too intoxicated

Although divorce is often times a necessary evil, a divorce party may be a way to put a positive spin on an otherwise negative situation. Many couples who have children together get divorced and remain good friends. This can help children deal with the negative side effects of a divorce more positively. While some people may see a divorce party as being distasteful, it is really just a way for the divorcee to come to terms with a difficult situation and move forward. There is no sense in dwelling on a past negative relationship. The divorce party helps a lot of people understand that divorce is a part of life and show them that they have the support of their friends in moving on.

Divorce is never easy. If you are considering a divorce you should speak with a Jacksonville Divorce Attorney to discuss your options. We understand you do not want a long contested divorce that costs you a ton of money. We always seek an amicable resolution first. Rest assured that we will make sure you understand your rights while helping you maintain your family integrity.

Read more interesting tips for throwing a divorce party you will never forget at Throwing a Divorce Party.

When an infant relative of Vanessa Alenier was seized by child welfare workers, Ms. Alenier took the child into her home. However, when she asked Florida for permission to adopt the boy, a question on the adoption forms gave her pause. It asked if she was gay. Not wanting to begin her parental journey with a lie, she reported to the state that she is indeed gay, even though she knew that Florida has a thirty three year old law banning gays from adopting.

Even as a Miami appeals court was seeking to determine the constitutionality of the ban, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Maria Sampedro-Iglesia approved the adoption – the third such adoption by a gay couple to be approved in Florida in the last year and a half.

Sampedro-Iglesia wrote in her order that, "there is no rational connection between sexual orientation and what is or is not in the best interest of a child. The child is happy and thriving with [Alenier]. The only way to give this child permanency . . . is to allow him to be adopted [by her].” She also declared in her ruling that she believed the law to be unconstitutional.

The Florida Department of Children and Families administrators objected to the adoption, but have not yet decided whether or not they will appeal the judge’s decision.

Find out more about the state of gay adoption in Florida at 3d strike against gay adoption ban in Fla.

If you are considering adoption, please contact our Jacksonville, Florida area law firm for legal counsel.

Drew Peterson is about to stand trial for the murder of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. A hearing to determine whether hearsay evidence will be allowed at trial included testimony from a few associates of Drew Peterson’s fourth wife, Stacy. Drew Peterson is a suspect in Stacy Peterson’s disappearance, but has not been charged with a crime in relation to it.

At the hearing, a neighbor of Drew and Stacy Peterson, Sharon Bychowski, reported that Ms. Peterson had told her that she feared for her life after asking Peterson for a divorce. She reportedly told Ms. Bychowski that “if I disappear, Sharon, it’s not an accident. He killed me.” Ms. Peterson allegedly made the comments less than a week before she disappeared in October of 2007. Ms. Bychowski reports that she urged Ms. Peterson to put her fears in writing, in case anything happened to her, but Ms. Peterson replied, “it doesn’t matter, I’m already dead. He’s going to kill me.”

Peterson has always maintained that Ms. Peterson took $25,000 and ran off to Jamaica with another man. Ms. Peterson has not been heard from since her disappearance and her body has never been found.

Sometimes when a marriage goes bad it can result in violence to one spouse. If you are in an abusive relatioship, please contact our Jacksonville, Florida area law firm for legal counsel.

Find out more about this topic at Peterson's neighbor: Stacy warned Drew would kill her.

Actress and talk show host Rosie O’Donnell and her long-time partner Kelli Carpenter made headlines when they married in California during the short period in which that state allowed gay marriage. Rosie is now speaking out about the couple’s recent divorce. Ms. O’Donnell reports that the couple’s divorce was amicable and “drama free” because both she and Ms. Carpenter made an effort to maintain their friendship. Ms. O’Donnell believes that women in particular are able to split without hard feelings because women “always want what’s best for everyone involved.” She believes that the intense emotional connections women make with each other make it difficult for them to simply sever the connection when the relationship ends.

As a testament to the former couple’s patience and understanding during the divorce, it took the news media nearly a year to pick up the story and put it in the headlines. Ms. O’Donnell made her comments during an appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show. She said the divorce occurred because she and Ms. Carpenter were drifting apart.

What happens when a gay couple is legally married in one state, moves to another state, and subsequently wants to get divorced in that state? The answer is that they will probably not be allowed to get divorced under the laws of a state that does not recognize same-sex marriages, such as Florida. This makes things difficult for gay married couples who fought so hard to get the right to marry and now find it very difficult to get a legal divorce. Most states have a residency requirement to get divorced under their state laws. If a same-sex married couple moves to a state that does not recognize their marriage and no longer has residency in the state in which they were legally married, they may have to move back for a period of time just to get divorced. If you have questions about Florida Family Laws regarding this topic call a Jacksonville Divorce Attorney.

Find out more about Rosie O’Donnell’s split from wife Kelli Carpenter at O'DONNELL: 'LESBIANS STAY CONNECTED AFTER DIVORCE'.

If you live in northeast Florida and are considering divorce, please contact our firm for legal counsel.

The median age for a first marriage in the United States is higher than it has ever been, at 27.1% for men and 25.3% for women. Hannah Seligson recently wrote a book that explores the unmarried relationships of people in their twenties and thirties; the book is called A Little Bit Married: How to Know When It’s Time to Walk Down the Aisle or Out the Door. In it, she looks at the new types of relationships young people are forming – many look just like marriage, but without the trip down the aisle. The author reports that twelve million Americans are cohabitating in “unmarried committed relationships.”

But even people who are “a little bit married” are taking some of the same steps that their more traditional peers take before tying the knot. Cohabitants frequently create what looks like a prenuptial agreement, spelling out what assets were brought into the home by whom, and who is entitled to what in the case of a split. Read more about this author’s theories on why young people are not getting married atWhy We’re Not Getting Married.

If you are considering moving in with someone, you should be aware of your legal rights. A Florida family law attorney can help you draw up an agreement that protects your assets in the case of a split. Please contact our Jacksonville, Florida area law firm for legal counsel.

In a move designed to help Haitian children orphaned in the devastating 2010 earthquake enter the US more easily for medical care and/or adoption, the US Government eased the requirements for their temporary entry to the US. Department of Homeland Security Secretary, Janet Napolitano, made the announcement, adding that the US is still committed to helping reunify families that have been torn apart by the disaster.

Under the plan, children with no surviving family may be eligible for adoption by US families and will be granted an expedited humanitarian parole. Humanitarian parole is an option that can be exercised by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to allow otherwise inadmissible individuals to enter the country for urgent humanitarian or other emergency reasons.

The US State Department has confirmed that approximately three hundred American families had already stepped forward to adopt orphaned Haitian children before the earthquake; twenty four of the cases were close enough to completion that those children have already been brought to the US and given over to their new families. The other pending cases are being reviewed individually to see if the process can be expedited. Any family who was in the process of adopting a Haitian child and would like further information can email askci@state.gov for more information.Florida residents who are interested in adoption should contact a Florida family law attorney.

Before the earthquake, Haiti was home to nearly four hundred thousand orphans. Many of them are now homeless due to the destruction of some orphanages in the earthquake. The total number of orphans is expected to grow as the dead are identified. In the meantime, many children without parents have been granted admission to the Dominican Republic, where they will be allowed to stay until their status is determined.

Read more about Haiti’s orphans and the plans to help them get adopted atU.S. works to expedite adoptions of Haitian children.

If you are considering adopting a child from a foreign country, you will need the help of a family law attorney to help navigate the laws of the US and the foreign country where you plan to adopt. Please contact our Jacksonville, Florida area law firm for adoption legal counsel.

Linda and David Pfeiffer of New London, Connecticut already had an adopted son, Darius, and they were not looking to have another child. But when a family friend from Jacksonville, Florida became pregnant and did not believe she was able to care for the child herself, she asked if the Pfeiffers would raise her child. Linda and David agreed, and they adopted Reylani soon after she was born. As part of the process, they flew to Florida and met with an attorney and had the birth parents sign a termination of parental rights.

It was only two weeks later that Linda Pfeiffer received a text message from the child’s birth mother, saying that Reylani’s biological father might actually be a different man. That man filed a paternity suit in Jacksonville Circuit Court and had his paternity confirmed with a DNA test. According to Florida law, a father must assert his paternity by filing the Florida Putative Father Registry Claim of Paternity claim before the child is born. Normally, this man would have no case. However, the child’s biological father is in the Navy, and he is arguing that he should retain his rights under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, which allows service members certain legal protections when they are on active duty. According to the Pfeiffers, the biological father knew that the mother was pregnant and was not at sea during the pregnancy, meaning he had ample opportunity to file for paternity during the legal window. The birth mother and biological father have since married.

In March a judge awarded custody to the biological parents, and the Pfeiffers were required to hand her over to them. The couple has since turned the Pfeiffers away when they flew to Florida in hopes of seeing Reylani. The Pfeiffers have filed an appeal to a panel of three judges, and are awaiting final word on their case. If you have questions regarding your rights as a biological parent or an adoptive parent in Florida you should contact a Florida Family Law Attorney.

You can read more about this tug of war over a Florida infant at Legal twist wrenching family apart.

If you are considering adoption, you will need the help of an experienced family law attorney. Please contact our firm for expert legal counsel.

Positive, life-enhancing, and compassionate are not words most people associate with divorce. Words that more typically come to mind are painful, bitter, resentful, ugly, and battle. A Chicago Judge, Michele Lowrance, who has presided over hundreds of divorces, recently wrote a book on how to handle divorce so that it doesn’t ruin your life or make you and your former spouse miserable. The book is entitled: The Good Karma Divorce: Avoid Litigation, Turn Negative Emotions into Positive Actions, and Get On with the Rest of Your Life.

Judge Lowrance starts by saying that turning over important decisions such as child support, alimony and child custody to the courts means giving up the power you have over your own important life decisions. The book is aimed at keeping a divorcing couple from ever going to court. To that end, she offers divorcing couples practical tips for getting through this tough time with a positive outcome. She reminds people that the court system is not designed to rescue them, or to prove that their position is more righteous than their former partner’s. She advises both parties to be open to the possibility of settlement and to disclose everything honestly.

She also recommends allowing yourself time to go through your negative emotions, but to be ready to forgive when the time is right. She encourages couples to apologize to each other during the process. She believes that both forgiveness and apologizing are empowering for both parties. She also reminds parents that divorce is very hard on children, and it is important to explain to them what is going on as honestly as possible. One type of divorce procedure that is designed to minimize the adversarial aspects of divorce is collaborative law. To learn more about this process contact a Jacksonville Family Law Attorney.

Read more about what makes a good Karma divorce at The Good Karma Divorce.

If you are considering divorce, please contact our Jacksonville, Florida area firm for legal counsel.