Parent Coordinators May Assist in High Conflict Family Law Cases

Parent Coordinators are professionals trained to assist parents in establishing and maintaining a healthy co-parenting relationship during and after litigation.  Parents may voluntarily engage the services of a Parent Coordinator or the court may refer parents to one.  The Thirteenth Judicial Circuit of Hillsborough County, Florida maintains a list of Parent Coordinators which is included in the link below.  Sessums Black, PA prides itself on providing excellent legal representation to its clients facing the challenges of developing healthy co-parenting relationships with their former significant others.

13th Judicial Circuit List of Parenting Coordinators (April 2011)

Massachusetts Sets Limits on Alimony

On September 26, 2011, Massachusetts’ Governor Deval Patrick signed into law a bill which, among other things, generally eliminates spousal support payments when either the payor reaches retirement age or the recipient begins cohabiting with a romantic partner.  Click on the link below for the full story.  Sessums Black, PA prides itself on skillfully defending the rights of its clients facing all forms of support issues.

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How to Speak Up and When To Keep Silent

Knowing when and how to effectively communicate helps a relationship thrive.  Here are two articles with advice on how to speak up and when to keep silent.  The first one is titled “Whine Away: How to Complain Effectively In any Situation” and the second one is “When to Keep Mum:  9 Things You Should Never Say to Your Husband.”  Sessums Black, PA strives to assist its clients when they are experiencing breakdowns in family communication.

When to Keep Mum

Whine Away

Talking to Children about Divorce

Times of transition can be stressful for the entire family, particularly for children.  Although it may be difficult to know what and how much to say, it is important to speak to children about family transformations and how it affects them.  Below are links to professional organizations who offer advice on how families can engage in age-appropriate discussions about their changing circumstances.  Sessums Black, PA strives to provide superior legal assistance to its clients facing all forms of family transitions.

American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers

American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

American Academy of Pediatrics

Florida Supreme Court Adds a Pledge of Fairness, Integrity, and Civility to Oath of Attorney

On September 12, 2011, the Florida Supreme Court added language to the Oath of Attorney administered to new members of the Florida Bar with which new Florida Bar members promise to treat opposing parties and their counsel with fairness, integrity, and civility in court and in all written and oral communications.  To see Florida Supreme Court opinion and revised Oath of Attorney, click on the link below.  Sessums Black, PA prides itself on treating all persons with whom it interacts fairly, civilly, and with integrity while zealously advocating for its clients.

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Supervised Visitation Locations in Florida

At times it is necessary for a third party to serve as a supervisor during timesharing to ensure that children have safe, conflict-free access to a parent with whom they do not reside.  Supervised Visitation Network (SVN) is a non-profit membership organization which, among other things, provides a list of qualified supervisory agencies and individuals so vulnerable families have access to safe and quality timesharing.  Mary Lee’s House is a child protection and advocacy center established to meet the needs of victims of child abuse and neglect in Hillsborough County, Florida.  Sessums Black, PA strives to ensure that its clients’ families are safe through the implementation of parenting plans tailored to the unique needs of their families.

Supervised Visitation Network Worldwide

Mary Lee’s House

Florida Supreme Court Approved Parenting Plan Forms

Parents living in separate households experience many challenging situations.  The Florida Supreme Court has approved three generic parenting plan forms (12.995 Forms (A)-(C)) to help separated parents think through the issues they face:  (A) A general Parenting Plan for when the parents live close to each other; (B) A Supervised/Safety-Focused Parenting Plan for when the child’s safety is a concern; and (C) A Relocation/Long Distance Parenting Plan for when the parents live a long distance from each other.  Sessums Black, PA prides itself on providing parents facing the complexities of co-parenting with top-quality legal representation.

Florida Supreme Court Approved Parenting Plan Form

Florida Supreme Court Approved Safety-Focused Parenting Plan Form

Florida Supreme Court Approved Relocation/Long-Distance Parenting Plan Form

Florida Supreme Court Family Law Forms Website

Chinese Law Could Make Divorced Women Homeless

China’s Supreme Court has interpreted the 1980 Marriage Law to say that property purchased prior to the marriage automatically reverted to the buyer upon divorce.  In China, men traditionally provide the family home upon marriage.  This means that, effective August 13, 2011 when the court’s interpretation came into effect, many Chinese women face the possibility of automatically losing their homes upon divorce.  Sessums Black, PA makes every effort to protect its clients’ rights in all family law issues they face.

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