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First District Court of Appeals Reverses Ruling of Local Family Law Judge in Jacksonville, Florida Regarding Attorney Fees & Alimony

May 19, 2016 by Lisa Coplan-Gardner

In a written opinion by the First District Court of Appeals on April 15, 2016, they reversed an award of alimony and attorney fees in a divorce decided by local Duval County Judge, E. McRae Mathis.   The case is entitled, “Reginald J. Nolan v. Karen D. Nolan.”  First, lets address the alimony award.  The parties in this case were married for 33 years.  The Husband traditionally worked seven days a week, overtime, and holidays throughout the marriage.  After the parties separated, the Husband reduced his working hours, which lowered his income.  At trial, the reasons the Husband gave as to his reduced hours were that the 12 hour shifts were no longer available to him and that his doctors advised him that he needed to work less.  The Wife requested to be awarded permanent periodic alimony from the Husband.  The Court awarded the Wife $3,500.00 per month permanent periodic alimony.

The Husband appealed the decision of the alimony amount to the First District Court of Appeals, arguing that the trial judge “Erred in failing to make the requisite findings to support its alimony award of $3,500 per month.”  He further argued that such an amount “Greatly exceeds the Wife’s needs and his ability to pay.”

When a trial court in Florida considers an alimony award, they must first according to the Florida Statute section 61.08(2) “Make a specific factual determination as to whether either party has an actual need for alimony and whether the other party has the ability to pay.”  IF the trial court determines there is a need and an ability to pay, THEN they must consider thereafter ALL the relevant factors in Florida Statute section 61.08(2)(a)-(j).

In considering the relevant factors in the Florida Statute 61.08, the trial judge rejected the Husband’s argument that his reduction in his working hours was based upon the advice of his doctors.  The trial judge rejected this argument based upon it not being supported by any evidence.  Consequently, the trial judge specifically found, “The husband should not be required to work seven days a week.”   The Appeallate Court found that the trial judge contradicted himself in his rationale for the award of the alimony in the amount of $3,500.00, by his statement regarding the husband not being required to work seven days a week, but then calculating the alimony amount with him working seven days per week.

What the trial judge was considering in the award of the alimony was the factor listed in the Florida Statute section 61.08(2)(i), which states that the trial judge is to consider in an alimony award, “All sources of income available to either party.”  This factor includes the consideration of overtime and bonuses.  What the Appeallate court found is that because the trial judge recognized that a seven day work week is not reasonable and that the husband should not be required to work seven days per week, that the overtime pay he previously enjoyed was no longer available to him as an income source.  So, the trial court in error considered the overtime income in its calculation of the alimony award.

On a side note, when the trial judge considers overtime and/or bonuses in a calculation of alimony, the person requesting the alimony must show that the overtime and/or bonuses will be available as an income source in the future.  Just because someone earns overtime and/or bonuses in the past, does not mean they will earn it in the future.  This is where EVIDENCE is important in a trial dealing with this issue.

Next, on the award of the attorney fees, the Appeallate Court further found that the trial judge erred in his ruling.  The trial judge ordered the Husband to pay to the Wife the total sum of $11,500.00 in attorney fees.  Pursuant to Florida Statute section 61.16, the trial court has the authority to “Order a party to pay a reasonable amount of attorney’s fees after considering the financial resources of both parties.”  The trial judge in this case awarded the wife substantial assets, $3,500.00 per month in alimony, the marital home and half of the husband’s retirement accounts.  What the Appeallate court found was that after the awards to each of the parties of the assets and the alimony award to the Wife, the parties were placed in equal financial positions.  Once the parties were placed in these equal financial positions, they were equally able to pay their own attorney fees.  Thus, the Appeallate court remanded the decision of the attorney fees back to the trial court to reconsider along with the alimony award amount.

If you have further questions about the ruling of this case, email me as lcgardner@coplan-gardnerlaw.com.  You can read the entire opinion by the First District Court of Appeals at their website at www.1dca.org/opinions.

Listen to this Wise Girl

April 7, 2016 by Lisa Coplan-Gardner

A little girls video has been reposted several times on Facebook with a very WISE message.   This is a must see video for individuals either going through a divorce or who have already been through a divorce.

 Click on this link to: Listen to this wise girl!
Six-Year-old girl gives her just got divorced mother a lesson in love and friendship. Listen to this wise girl!
Posted by The World of Knowledge on Monday, March 21, 2016

 

Darin Gardner Listed As One Of Best Lawyers in Jacksonville Magazine

April 5, 2016 by Lisa Coplan-Gardner

apriljm2016-248x300

See Full Article by Clicking Here: Best of JAX

Florida Senate Bill 668

March 9, 2016 by Lisa Coplan-Gardner

The Florida Senate Bill 668 has now passed and is on the way to the Governor Rick Scott for his approval.  The bill makes dramatic changes to the Florida Statutes dealing with alimony and child time-sharing.  The revised language in the proposed bill mandates that Florida Judges use a formula to calculate the alimony amount based on the length of the marriage and the income of both parties.  The Judge can deviate from the formula, but he/she must make written findings to explain the deviation.

The Florida Statute 61.13 dealing with child time-sharing, would be changed to provide that it is presumed that each parent should have equal time-sharing with their child, unless there is a showing of detriment to the child.  The statute does provide that a conviction of a misdemeanor of the first degree or higher creates a rebuttable presumption of detriment to the child.  So, one can see that the important of fighting a domestic violence claim in the future will be of the utmost importance.  Unfortunately, there maybe a rise in false domestic violence claims due to this presumption of detriment.

If you would like to read the bill, click here.

Status of House Bill 455 & Senate Bill 668

February 4, 2016 by Lisa Coplan-Gardner

For those following the Alimony House Bill 455 & the Family Law Senate Bill 668 the following is an update:

The House added the bill to the Judiciary Committee agenda on Tuesday, February 02, 2016.  The Judiciary Committee has the bill on its agenda for February 04, 2016.   The House will reconvene on February 10, 2016.   The Bill already went through the Civil Justice Subcommittee and it resulted in a favorable vote, with the total vote being 9 yes and 4 no.

The House Bill 455 is summarized on the Florida House of Representative Website as follows:

Alimony: Requires use of specified factors in calculating alimony pendente lite; provides presumptions concerning alimony awards depending on duration of marriages; provides for imputation of income in certain circumstances; declares public policy concerning child’s interests regarding time sharing in custody & support proceedings; prohibits court from changing duration of alimony award; provides for motions to advance trial of certain actions if specified period has passed since initial service on respondent.

The Senate Bill 668 is summarized as follows:

Family Law: Requiring a court to consider certain alimony factors and make specific written findings of fact under certain circumstances; requiring a court to make specified findings before ruling on a request for alimony; revising the factors that are used to determine the best interests of a child; prohibiting a court from changing the duration of alimony; requiring that a child support award be adjusted to reduce the combined alimony and child support award under certain circumstances, etc.

We will continue to monitor the status of these two bills and post the updates as we learn them. If you would like to read the full versions of the bills, you can go to the following link:  www.myfloridahouse.gov

 

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The law firm of Coplan-Gardner & Gardner, located in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, represents clients in the courts of northeast Florida, which includes St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra, Orange Park, Jacksonville Beach, Fernandina Beach, Green Cove Springs, Mayport, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Amelia Island, Mayport and all First Coast communities of Duval County, Nassau County, Clay County and St. Johns County.

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  • First District Court of Appeal Case Dealing with Stalking Released October 31, 2018
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