Why Should I Hire an Attorney?

Why should I hire an attorney to assist me with a divorce in Florida?  It should come as no surprise then that Florida Family Law is an area of practice which requires a very significant amount of knowledge of the differences that exist between issues such that relate to minor children such as time sharing, parenting plans and child support; equitable distribution of marital assets and debts; determining what is marital and what is not; pensions; retirement accounts; spousal support; and other family law related issues.

Each issue that is stated above is unique and has its’ own factors or rules which a Florida Family Law Court must follow in order to issue its ruling on each matter.  At New Horizons Law, P.A., Michael J. Costantino, Esq. is experienced in every possible Florida Family Law issue.

Once a dissolution of marriage case is filed in Florida, one of hardest things for a self-represented person to do is to secure a court date before a Florida Family Law Judge in order to obtain temporary child support, temporary alimony and or a temporary visitation schedule.  Then once that court date is scheduled, what happens when the self-represented person shows up in the Family Law Court only to learn that their spouse has hired a Florida Family Law Attorney for the hearing.  Obviously having an experienced attorney on the other side can be quite stressful when you are trying to represent yourself.  In addition, when your spouse has counsel and you don’t – you are probably at a major disadvantage because an experienced Florida Family Law Attorney such as New Horizons Law, P.A., Michael J. Costantino, Esq. knows the law and rules that Family Law Judges are required to consider in order to decide the temporary issues that you hope are decided in your ‘favor’.

In Florida, divorce cases are ordered to appear at mediation in an attempt to resolve the issues that exist in your dissolution of marriage case.  If you and your spouse are self-represented and settle your divorce at mediation, the mediator will prepare a mediation agreement for you and your spouse to sign before the mediation is ended.  It has been our experience at New Horizons Law, P.A., Michael J. Costantino, Esq. that these mediation agreements don’t always address every issue that exists when in a dissolution of marriage case.  In addition, self-represented parties don’t always understand the Florida Family Law nuances that exist with pensions and retirement accounts.  The Internal Revenue Service has very specific requirements about how pensions and retirement accounts can be divided without penalty.  New Horizons Law, P.A., Michael J. Costantino, Esq. understands and recognizes how to legally divide pensions and retirement accounts.

One of the biggest pitfalls that New Horizons Law, P.A., Michael J. Costantino, Esq. sees with mediation agreements drafted by a mediator in a self-represented case is that these agreements are not inclusive enough.

If you are considering getting divorced, please contact New Horizons Law, P.A., Michael J. Costantino, Esq. for a consultation.