Fort Lauderdale Family Lawyer
Trachman & Ballot-Lena, PA engages in a comprehensive family law practice in south Florida. With offices in Fort Lauderdale, our practice extends to helping individuals and families throughout Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. See below for some of the major areas of our family law practice, and call 954-462-2225 for a no-cost consultation about how we can help you with your Fort Lauderdale family law matter.
Divorce
Whether your divorce is contested or uncontested, we make sure that your interests are represented in any marital settlement agreement or final divorce decree, with special attention paid to important topics such as the equitable distribution of marital property, alimony, child support, and parental responsibility and time-sharing.
Parental Relocation
It is not uncommon for a former spouse to choose to relocate after a divorce, whether due to a new a job or simply the desire to make a fresh start in a new location. If the former spouses are sharing custody of their children, however, any relocation requires approval of the judge or written consent of the co-parent, if the move is more than 50 miles away and lasts for more than 60 days. Courts will look at the reason for the move and other factors and will only approve a relocation if it is in the children’s best interests and is not detrimental to them. We can help you reach agreement with your spouse through negotiation, mediation or collaboration, or provide strong representation in court if you are seeking or opposing a proposed parental relocation.
Modification
Although a divorce decree is meant to be final, certain court orders can later be modified if circumstances have changed that would justify a modification. For instance, changes in either party’s income, remarriage, relocation, or a change in the children’s needs could possibly justify a modification of child support, alimony or time-sharing. Modifying court orders requires going back to court, where the case may be argued if one former spouse opposes the requested modification. Our attorneys have decades of courtroom experience and mediation training to help you resolve a modification request favorably.
Enforcement
The final orders in a divorce are enforceable court orders. When a former spouse is not paying alimony or child support on time, or is not following the parenting plan or complying with custody exchanges, there may be many different options available to enforce compliance. We can help mediate a resolution or go to court to seek enforcement through mechanisms such as garnishments and liens or contempt proceedings. We also provide defense representation if you are unfairly accused of not following court orders.
Domestic Violence
If you or your children have been threatened or abused by a spouse, former spouse, co-parent or household member, we can help you obtain a restraining order (injunction for protection against domestic violence) to keep you and your children safe. Transforming a temporary restraining order into a more long-term or permanent order requires a court hearing at which both sides may be present and make arguments why a restraining order should or should not be put in place. Our family law attorneys are also former prosecutors who understand the process and can provide strong, effective representation if you are seeking or opposing a restraining order regarding alleged domestic violence, repeat violence, sexual violence or dating violence.
Paternity
Establishing the identity of a child’s biological father can be critical to mandating child support, or to exercising rights to take a role in parental responsibility and time-sharing. Establishing paternity may include DNA testing, but other evidence can play an important factor as well. Our skilled and knowledgeable Broward County family law attorneys understand how to pursue or challenge paternity cases and provide excellent representation on your behalf.
Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements
Prenuptial agreements serve a number of purposes that can benefit a couple as they enter a marriage. Premarital agreements help each party know they will not be taken advantage of in the event of divorce, even where there is a large difference in each individual’s wealth or status. Couples can also avoid a drawn-out or hostile divorce battle by deciding on alimony and property division through a prenuptial agreement, while also making sure that children from a previous marriage will be secure in their property rights. We help couples negotiate and draft prenuptial and postnuptial agreements either before marriage or any time during marriage, to increase their sense of security and peace of mind knowing that important interests have been addressed and protected.
Mediation and Collaborative Family Law
Our attorneys include supreme court certified family law mediators and attorneys trained in collaborative family practice. These approaches to your divorce, parenting dispute or other family law matter can help you resolve your case faster and less expensively than going to court. By working collaboratively, you can also achieve an agreement that meets your needs better than a court-imposed solution. Mediated resolutions are additionally more likely to be voluntarily implemented by both parties, avoiding the need to go back to court for enforcement.
Document Review
If you feel you cannot afford an attorney to handle your divorce, call our office for a free consultation. We may be able to get temporary orders for support from the court which will help you provide for your needs while your divorce is pending. If you still decide to proceed on your own, we offer limited representation and can review petitions, motions and other documents as needed to help you through your case. We can also review prenuptial agreements, postnuptial agreements and marital settlement agreements that were drafted by another attorney, to make sure they say what you want them to say and adequately address your interests and protect your rights.
Comprehensive Fort Lauderdale Family Lawyers for All Your Fort Lauderdale Family Law Needs
For practical legal advice and excellent representation in a Fort Lauderdale drug crime prosecution, call Trachman & Ballot-Lena, PA at 954-462-2208 or Mr. Trachman’s cellphone at 954-288-9293 to have your case reviewed at no cost by an experienced and successful Broward County criminal defense attorney.
