Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Phil AmmannFebruary 28, 2016

I have spent almost 25 years studying alimony and if I have learned anything, it’s that alimony is complex. Reform can have unintended consequences and so should be the product of a careful, deliberative effort to understand and improve the law rather than a one-sided push to protect people who pay alimony by kicking recipients […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 18, 2016

The Florida Senate on Thursday began considering a bill creating a legal presumption that parents deserve equal time with their children after a divorce. A vote on the measure (SB 250) could take place next week. In sum, it says starting with the assumption of 50-50 time-sharing at the beginning of custody cases is in […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 10, 2016

Equal time for both parents after a divorce would be the starting line in child custody cases under a bill heading to the Senate floor. The Rules Committee cleared the measure (SB 250) on a 7-4 party-line vote on Wednesday. The legislation, sponsored by Brandon Republican Tom Lee, creates a legal assumption that 50-50 time-sharing is in the best […]

William MarchFebruary 8, 2016

Big changes could be in store for couples who divorce under legislation now being considered by Florida lawmakers. Measures to end permanent alimony and to push judges toward granting 50-50 time-sharing custody between parents are generating emotional arguments in legislative committee hearings. An alimony reform bill passed its second committee in the House last week, […]

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 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, […]

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 […]

Guest AuthorAugust 27, 2015

It’s been all over the news. Hackers went after the notorious “Life is short. Have an affair.” website, which enables married or otherwise attached men and women to pursue relationships outside their union. Hackers are exposing Ashley Madison customers and emails, not for money but for “moral” reasons. They believed the idea behind the site […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorJune 16, 2015

Welcome to another installation of “my bad luck is your source for information!” About six months ago, I reported my identity had been used by someone somewhere to file an unemployment claim. I was lucky. All it took were a handful of phone calls, a few hours and some mildly aggravating music-on-hold in order to […]

Tag: divorce
Crowds gather to see Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. (Gabrielle Russon)

Cynthia Lee Starnes: Rick Scott should block alimony reform, appoint task force

Child time-sharing bill goes before full Senate

Bill on equal time in child custody heads to full Senate

Lawmakers consider controversial alimony, custody changes

Child-support activist ejected from Senate panel vows to return

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

Alimony overhaul bill clears first House panel

Tom Lee will try again to overhaul alimony, custody laws

Catherine Durkin Robinson: Life is short, try on some tolerance

Janelle Irwin: Not even kids cop a break from credit thieves