South Florida Family Law Attorneys
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Children and Divorce – Florida Family Law Attorneys Lazarus and Lazarus

South Florida Family Law Attorneys in Weston and Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Kids Need Support and Time to Heal During a Divorce

Many times people who are considering a divorce have the attitude that “Kids are strong, they can handle it.” But too often children are not strong, and they suffer greatly as their world is transformed into a new and different place they may not care for.

Florida Statute 61.21 states, in part: “A large number of children experience the separation or divorce of their parents each year. Parental conflict related to divorce is a societal concern because children suffer potential short-term and long-term detrimental economic, emotional, and educational effects during this difficult period of family transition. This is particularly true when parents engage in lengthy legal conflict.”

The Statute also describes the value of a parenting course: “Parents who are separating or divorcing are more likely to receive maximum benefit from a program if they attend such program at the earliest stages of their dispute, before extensive litigation occurs and adversarial positions are assumed or intensified.”

It’s very important to make the transition from being married to being divorced with children in mind. Disagreements about money, visitation, and other issues should always be between the adults and not spill over to the children.

One of the most common things that happens during a divorce when there are minor children is parental alienation. Under Florida law, anything intentionally said or done to hurt a child’s relationship with the other parent can be considered parental alienation. Although parental alienation is not a crime and will not usually result in criminal penalties in Florida, it can affect a family court’s decision regarding child custody.

People should be aware that most judges will not tolerate parental alienation and parents who engage in it after warning risk the possibility of serious penalties.

Two of the most severe consequences of alienation upon the child are fearfulness and low self-esteem, and these effects can continue into adulthood. Basically, the longer the alienation has persisted, the more damage to the parent-relationship, and treatment will be required to correct the situation.

If you are involved in a divorce and there are children involved you may be tempted to try to influence them against your spouse. Please follow this guideline: Don’t do it. Child psychologists unanimously agree that this practice is dangerous and unacceptable.

Counseling is an excellent option to help parents and children work through a divorce and the uncomfortable issues that almost always accompany it. Family Law attorneys are experienced with counselors who can help parents and children with feelings of anxiety about all the changes that come with divorce.

If you have questions about divorce, children’s issues related to divorce including parental alienation, the Law Firm of Lazarus and Lazarus is willing to set up a consultation to help with answers. We are available 7 days a week by calling 954-356-0006.

Product Liability Cases
| Gary T. Lazarus | 0 Comments | Product Liability

Product Liability: Recalled Eye Drops Have Caused Deaths and Serious Injuries

Dangerous Bacteria Found in Several Brands

The manufacturer of eye drops that have been linked to an outbreak of serious bacterial infections in the US, including at least three deaths, did not follow proper protocol to prevent contamination of its products, according to an inspection report published Friday by the US Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) visited a Global Pharma Healthcare facility in India for an inspection that started in mid-February, 2½ weeks after the company recalled EzriCare Artificial Tears due to possible contamination.

Personal Injury AttorneysOther name brands are involved, and before you use any eye drops you should check with your doctor or pharmacist to make sure they are not on the recall list.

Federal health investigators are uncovering more about an outbreak of an uncommon strain of bacteria known as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is increasingly being traced back to eye drops. The bacteria can trigger debilitating eye infections that may cause permanent blindness, or even surgical eye removal altogether, which has been the case for at least one woman in Florida recently.

If a person is injured as a result of any defective product, there are laws in Florida that are in place to help victims. People should understand that:

  • Product Liability Lawsuits in Florida Require a Strong Basis
  • Florida has Statute Limitations for Product Liability Lawsuits
  • Florida Follows the Pure Comparative Negligence Rule
  • Florida’s Product Liability Laws are not Limited to the Manufacturer
  • There are Four Elements to a Successful Product Liability Claim in Florida
  • There are Two Kinds of Damages that can be Awarded in a Product Liability Case in Florida
  • A Retailer Holds Some Responsibility for Selling Defective Products in Florida

We will be blogging about these product liability issues in the coming weeks but if you are the victim of any product that injures you, we are available to speak about it. Seven days a week we can be reached at 954-356-0006.

South Florida Divorce Attorneys
| Gary T. Lazarus | 0 Comments | Divorce Attorneys | ,

Hiring a Family Law Attorney – South Florida Divorce Attorneys Lazarus and Lazarus

South Florida Family Law Attorney

Making the Right Choice is Crucial for You and Your Family

As most people grow from adolescence to adulthood they make plans for their futures. Some plans involve education for a career, and plans to have their own family, which often include marriage.

According to The Week: “The first recorded evidence of marriage ceremonies uniting one woman and one man dates from about 2350 B.C., in Mesopotamia. Over the next several hundred years, marriage evolved into a widespread institution embraced by the ancient Hebrews, Greeks, and Romans.”

Religion has been a big part of marriage and the marriage ceremony over the years, and people could usually not obtain a divorce without the permission of the Church.

When a couple recites their wedding vows, a divorce is certainly the last thing on their minds, but according to the U.S. Census Bureau approximately 41% of marriages end in divorce.

If it seems that a divorce is inevitable there are literally dozens of factors to consider. A few of them include:

How to handle care for and custody of dependent children. Kids sometimes adapt very well to their parents going through a divorce but sometimes they don’t, so their well-being should be a top priority.

Property and Financial Disclosures are very critical to understanding and agreeing to asset distribution between two parties in a divorce. Required forms must be completed truthfully and in a timely manner.

Future support including Child Support and Alimony must be thoroughly investigated, conform to guidelines, and enforced.

The law in Florida that pertains to divorce and related issues is CHAPTER 61 DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE; SUPPORT; TIME-SHARING and it is a very detailed and lengthy statute. It’s very important to hire an attorney who completely understands this statute and others to protect your interests.

Your attorney should also make sure that the other party follows the rules, and that you and your family are safe from any harm whatsoever.

Divorce can and should be accomplished in a peaceful and professional manner, and an experienced attorney can make the process as seamless as possible. The Law Firm of Lazarus and Lazarus has been helping people in South Florida get through legal predicaments since 1992. Please call for a free consultation: 954-356-0006.

Divorce Attorneys in Weston, Florida and Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Florida Divorce - Assets and Debt
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Florida Divorce – Marital Assets and Debts

Determining “Who Gets What” in a Florida Divorce

The first thing people should understand about divorce is that the court is going be the ultimate decision-maker when it comes to almost all issues involving assets, liabilities, custody of minor children and more. When you get married that is a legal event, and when you get divorced it is also a legal matter.

Divorce – the legal dissolution of a marriage by a court or other competent body.

Once the paperwork is filed with the Circuit Court in your area, a judge will be assigned to your case. According to Florida law, the judge “must begin with the premise that the distribution should be equal, unless there is a justification for an unequal distribution based on all relevant factors.”

Therefore, if one spouse contributed more money to the purchase of a home, the court may see that property as an equally owned asset.

Factors that may influence property division include:

  • Contribution to the marriage and economic circumstances of both parties at the time of divorce. This includes any contribution to the other’s career or education.
  • Particular desire or interest to retain a specific asset after the divorce.
  • Accidental or intentional damages, destruction, or depletion of marital property.
  • Contribution to the upbringing and care of children, including their education.

Debts are also equally divisible and they may include credit cards, mortgages, car loans, and more. Things can get complex when dealing with retirement plans, pensions, and insurance policies. Certain assets such as corporations are not easy to put an exact value on so business experts may have to be called upon to help.

The section of the Florida Statutes 61.079 Premarital Agreements includes this: “Premarital agreement” means an agreement between prospective spouses made in contemplation of marriage and to be effective upon marriage. People usually sign these in order to protect certain assets from the other spouse and they affect the way the court will divide assets and liabilities.

Every divorce is truly unique so they can be simple or extremely complicated. Either way, having an attorney on your side can give you confidence that you’re having your rights protected. Moving forward you want to make sure you get the settlement that is best for you and your family, and an experienced family law attorney will accomplish that.

Since 1992 the Law Firm of Lazarus and Lazarus has been helping people all over Florida receive the best outcome from their legal issues. We would be happy to sit down with you and discuss your situation. Call us 7 days a week at 954-356-0006.

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Florida Family Law Attorneys • Weston, Florida • Fort Lauderdale, Florida