Temporary Relief in Orlando Divorce and Paternity Cases
Posted on Jan 23, 2013 2:55pm PST
Divorce law in Florida allows for parties to request temporary relief pending
the final disposition of their divorce or their paternity case. The road
to the end of a divorce case or a paternity action is long, cumbersome,
and costly. If one party is dependent for support on the other party or
if both parties are struggling with co-parenting during the pendency of
their case, it is wise to file a temporary needs motion and schedule a
hearing in front of the judge early on in the process.
In Orlando, absent an emergency, judges will not hear any motion for temporary
needs until the parties have attended a mediation session. It is incumbent
on the person who desires the temporary relief to file a motion and schedule
a hearing in front of the judge. Timing is of the essence as a contested
divorce or contested paternity action can take several months or even
longer than a year to resolve. Failure to file a motion for temporary
relief can result in detrimental consequences to the party who needs it.
The most common requests for temporary relief are the following:
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Time-Sharing/Visitation/Custody - Oftentimes, parents are unable to agree on a timesharing schedule with
their minor children. When this occurs, the court is empowered to place
an order that serves the best interest of the minor children involved.
It is important for the parties to keep in mind that this will be a temporary
order and is subject to change once the case is resolved.
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Child Support - The children involved in a paternity or divorce case have the right to
receive support from both of their parents. An order of child support
provides much needed stability for the children and for the parents who
are exercising the majority of timesharing with them.
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Alimony - A party can request for relief in the form of temporary alimony if a party
has a need and the other party has the ability to pay. Temporary alimony
might be crucial in a case if a party needs the alimony to pay bills or
to cover other necessities while the case is pending.
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Attorney Fees - Florida judges have the discretion to award one side to pay the attorney
fees of the other side. If a spouse earns significantly less income or
a judge determines a party has the ability to pay, the judge has the discretion
to order attorney fees and costs be paid by the other party.
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Other Items - Parties can also request the judge determine who will maintain exclusive
use and possession of a home, who will claim a child for taxes if the
tax season is approaching, and a judge can make a temporary distribution
of any assets or liabilities the parties have incurred.
If you have questions about temporary relief call Longwell Lawyers, your
Orlando Divorce Attorneys,at (407) 426-5757 today.