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Jim RosicaFebruary 10, 2016

With the half-way mark of the 60-day 2016 Legislative Session on Wednesday, the theme so far is like a line from a Frankie Valli song: “… so close/And yet so far.” Take the 2016-17 state budget, the only bill lawmakers are required to pass each year. The House came in at $79.9 billion with the Senate […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 28, 2016

The woman who was thrown out of a Senate committee meeting Thursday was unapologetic about her outburst, saying lawmakers deserved it. Cynthia Wheeler, a nurse and child-support activist from Palm Beach County, has come to Tallahassee before to speak on family-law related bills. She was in the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday for a bill (SB […]

Guest AuthorJanuary 14, 2016

The Legislature is considering so-called alimony “reform” and a 50/50 “presumption” for child custody decisions. Both are bad ideas. “Reform” legislation almost always seems to be about taking away rights, benefits, or protections from less well-off individuals to the advantage of more affluent people and big corporations. Tort “reform” is a prime example. Alimony “reform” […]

Phil AmmannJanuary 13, 2016

The Legislature is considering so-called alimony “reform” and a 50/50 “presumption” for child custody decisions. Both are bad ideas. “Reform” legislation almost always seems to be about taking away rights, benefits, or protections from less well-off individuals to the advantage of more affluent people and big corporations. Tort “reform” is a prime example. Alimony “reform” […]

Guest AuthorDecember 9, 2015

What does alimony have to do with “The Baby Mama Syndrome”? Next to nothing. Only married people getting a divorce can get alimony. On the other hand, Florida legislators keep trying to pass alimony “reform,” a code word for changing the law to the disadvantage of people who need protection or help. The proponents of […]

Jim RosicaNovember 18, 2015

A House bill aimed at overhauling and streamlining the state’s alimony rules cleared its first panel Wednesday, despite a retired judge telling lawmakers “bad things are going to happen to nice people” if the measure becomes law. The Civil Justice Subcommittee OK’d the bill (HB 455), sponsored by Republican state Rep. Colleen Burton of Lakeland, […]

Guest AuthorOctober 27, 2015

Another dangerously flawed “Family Law Reform” bill has been once again submitted in the Florida Legislature. As this flawed legislation persists, Republican Sen. Tom Lee, who has been embroiled in his own past divorce and child support battles, has now introduced Family Law Reform bill SB 250. Many marginalized members of The Florida Bar are […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 10, 2015

State Sen. Tom Lee won’t give up on trying to amend Florida law on alimony and child custody. On Thursday, Lee filed a bill (SB 250) to change the way divorces are handled in state courts. It marks at least the third time since 2013 that Lee, a Brandon Republican, has supported such an overhaul […]

Tag: child custody

Gut check: Legislative Session reaches midpoint

Child-support activist ejected from Senate panel vows to return

Robert Doyel: Legislature needs research before ‘reforming’ alimony

Robert Doyel: The Legislature needs research before ‘reforming’ alimony

Judge Robert Doyel: Alimony reform and 50-50 child time-sharing – a horrible idea

Alimony overhaul bill clears first House panel

Judge Robert M. Evans: Enough is enough – Florida needs a neutral "Family Law Reform" task force

Tom Lee will try again to overhaul alimony, custody laws