Florida Alimony Reform Bill Vetoed

On April 15th, 2016,  alimony reform bill B 668 came to an end. Amidst a firestorm of controversy and a high number of proponents for alimony reform and support for the passing of this Bill, Governor Scott vetoed the Bill. According to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, the Governor’s office reported that 10,054 calls in support of the bill have come in as opposed to 2,968 made in opposition, according to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Despite the apparent low opposition, Governor Scott stated his reasoning behind the vetoing of the Bill. The language of the Bill which came late, added the 50/50 timeshare presumption which in Scott’s view, put the needs of the parents first, instead of putting the children’s needs first.

In Florida, child support laws require that both parents financially support their children according to the guidelines. The amount of time-sharing factors into the amount of child support obligation, thus, often creating more reasons for a parent’s need to fight for more or less time-sharing or custody.

Equal Time Sharing in Florida

In Florida, it’s very common for judges to order equal time-sharing, and shared custody. In reality however, many mothers and fathers are not enjoying an equal amount of time with their children. Much of that decision is related to how parents work together on this issue.

The truth is, child custody battles often do take place when couples are divorcing. Armed with the knowledge that the courts will most often look at the best interests of the children, often times one parent or the other will find reasons why equal time-sharing is not in their children’s best interest. If you prove your case in court, then the Judge can award time-sharing or custody as they see fit. Scott defended, that each family is unique with their own set of circumstances and it appears he believes that a “cookie-cutter” solution included in this Bill would not make sense for Florida’s children.

But What About Modifying Florida Alimony?

As of today, alimony laws in Florida remain the same. There are a few different types of alimony but the main purpose of the Bill was to stop eliminate permanent alimony. It was aimed at giving judges guidelines and a formula for determining the amount and duration of alimony, along with conditions for modification. The concern was that many people may never be able to retire, because they were ordered to pay permanent alimony. The opponents were concerned that many spouses had devoted their lives to caring for the children and home, while their spouse concentrated on their careers and hence, hadn’t had the opportunity, skills or time to adequately plan for their own futures, thus were in need of permanent alimony. Both of these scenarios can be very true, and equally devastating to either party.

Hiring a Divorce & Divorce Modification Attorney

Remember, it takes a skilled alimony and divorce attorney to ensure that clients who truly need a modification of alimony obtain their day in court. Even more crucial, is that when you are divorcing, seek out and hire the best divorce attorney, one with experience in divorce and high asset divorces and alimony cases.

Family Law Attorney Wendy Doyle will take the steps to represent you in a divorce proceeding according to Florida alimony and asset distribution laws to ensure the very best outcome in your divorce case. Attorney Doyle represents clients who need a family law attorney in Spring Hill, Brooksville in Hernando County, Florida and  St. Pete/Clearwater/Largo in Pinellas, as well as in Pasco, County, Florida.

We have two offices to serve our clients and offer free initial consultations today. Call (727) 824-5727 or contact us online for information or a consultation.