Jacksonville Child Support Lawyer

Alimony, Child Support, Child Custody, Time Sharing

Florida Modification Law Firm: When Your Circumstances Change

Parents fighting over child custody rights in Jacksonville, FL.

All families change over time. As their needs and goals change, legal action may be needed to make sure that existing court orders evolve to meet new family requirements. What was suitable to the parties at the time of the divorce may no longer work as jobs change, children age, and parents remarry. At Beller Law, PL, our Jacksonville attorney helps families obtain appropriate modifications to child support, child custody, visitation, time-sharing, and alimony. We also address relocation issues when parents move into or out of Florida or away from the Jacksonville area.

Modifications of child custody or timesharing, child support, and alimony in Jacksonville often require proof to the court that there has been a substantial change in circumstances. Substantial changes can be as simple as a greater financial need or increase in income or may include a change in your child’s environment or time sharing. Our Jacksonville child custody attorney advocates for your rights in court to help you get the legal modifications you and your children need, and guide you through the often difficult procedures to get results. We also help families with the domestication of foreign or out-of-state judgments, assisting them in obtaining court orders that ask the State of Florida to treat an order from another state as its own. Domestications for matters like child support and visitation can be especially useful when families with children move into or out of the State of Florida.

When you bring your modification case to the Duval/St. Johns County area law firm of Beller Law, PL our attorney will review your goals with you. Then we will examine the existing agreements between you and your ex-spouse or child’s parent. Together we will set realistic, achievable objectives that we will bring before the Florida family court judge. Whether you are seeking an adjustment in your spousal or child support, are looking to adjust your visitation schedule, or are attempting to become the primary custodian of your children, our compassionate Jacksonville child support attorney can help.

We take action for you as fast as the Florida family courts allow. The Jacksonville alimony attorney at Beller Law, PL will take the time to work closely with you to understand your unique circumstances, goals, and concerns. Having more than twenty-five years of trial experience has taught us how to work effectively and efficiently for you.

Modification Requires a Substantial Change in Circumstances

As a general rule, Florida courts will not make changes to family law arrangements unless there has been a substantial change in the circumstances for at least one of the parties (e.g., parents or child).

In other words, small changes in your day-to-day life will not warrant a court’s attention. Even if they seem important to you, the court must first be convinced that the change in circumstances is significant enough to warrant a change in legal arrangements. Part of our job as Jacksonville modification lawyer is to argue that modification is warranted.

Types of Family Law Modification in Florida

Our well-versed Jacksonville lawyer can help you seek changes in any of the following arrangements:

  • Child support
  • Child custody
  • Visitation and Timesharing
  • Alimony

Below, we’ll look at the specific changes you can seek within each of those areas, as well as examples of life events that might qualify as a “substantial change in the circumstances.”

Child Support Modification

The monetary value of child support can be either increased or decreased, usually depending on changes in either parent’s income.

The court will also consider changes in the child’s needs. (For example, a parent who receives child support might be entitled to a larger amount of support if the child becomes afflicted with an unexpected long-term disability — even if the income of both parents has remained the same.)

In some cases, the role of providing support might even be changed from one parent to the other. This would typically happen in cases where one parent’s financial situation or life circumstances have changed dramatically, or where the child’s custody or living situation is changed. Our Jacksonville child support lawyer can help you prove a change in circumstances and ease the financial pressure.

Child Custody Modification

When it comes to child custody matters, the court’s primary focus is on the welfare of the child involved. Whether you are seeking to establish custody for the first time or are pursuing a modification, the best interests of the child must always come first.

Navigating the legal system and providing evidence of a substantial change in circumstances can be challenging, especially when emotions are running high. That’s where our experienced Jacksonville child custody attorney comes in.

At our firm, we understand the complexities of child custody cases and will work tirelessly to protect your rights and the best interests of your child. Our team can help you gather the necessary evidence and present a compelling case to the court.

Don’t try to handle child custody matters on your own. Let our skilled Jacksonville child custody lawyer provide the guidance and support you need to achieve the best possible outcome for you and your child. Contact us today to schedule your consultation.

Modifying Child Visitation or Time-Sharing in Florida

A lawyer talking about child support to his client in Jacksonville, FL.Parents frequently look to change their existing visitation or time-sharing agreements. In fact, clients ask us about these changes more than any other. That’s only natural, as your daily schedule can change dramatically from one week or month to the next.

Arrangements that made both parties happy last year might not make sense anymore.

But courts can’t possibly handle every request for every tweak in a parent’s schedule. For that reason, they are reluctant to revisit visitation arrangements unless there has been a substantial change in the circumstances of either a parent or the child.

Here again, the child’s best interest is the prevailing standard, and that’s especially important if the proposed modification to visitation would involve relocation or a significant increase (or decrease) in the amount of time the child might spend with either parent.

As a Jacksonville timesharing lawyer, I understand how important it is that visitation agreements make sense for the whole family as it evolves. We also understand that the court needs to be persuaded that a change is worth its time.

When you schedule an appointment with us, our experienced Jacksonville child visitation attorney can take a close look at your situation. This will help determine how we might best make a case to the court that there has been a substantial change in the circumstances (whenever possible).

Alimony Modification

Courts are similarly reluctant to revisit alimony arrangements unless there has been a truly substantial change in circumstances. Even then, if the substantial change is a voluntary one, if it was foreseeable when the original alimony plans were put in place, or if the change is of a temporary nature, the court might be less likely to agree to a modification.

For example, if a paying spouse voluntarily or intentionally takes a lower-paying job, the court might be hesitant to reduce his or her alimony obligation. (On the other hand, if the spouse takes the new job out of necessity — because of layoffs or reduced benefits – the court might agree to modify alimony accordingly.)

Typically, the court prefers to modify alimony only when there has been a substantial, permanent, and unexpected change in circumstances. Examples include:

  • A spouse dies
  • A decline in the paying spouse’s health condition (or some other significant ability to meet his or her payment obligations)
  • The receiving spouse remarries (or enters into an ongoing relationship wherein a third party is providing significant financial support)
  • Some other substantial changes in the receiving spouse’s financial situation

Unsure as to whether you might qualify for alimony modification? Our Jacksonville alimony attorney can help.

Contact Caring Jacksonville Modification Lawyer Who Serves the Changing Needs of Families

Attorney Rebeccah Beller of Beller Law, PL also handles clients with other types of cases, including:

At Beller Law, PL, our dedicated team of legal professionals is here to help you with all your family law concerns. From alimony and child support to custody, visitation, and modification, we have the knowledge and experience to provide you with effective legal solutions.

If you’re facing challenges related to child custody, our experienced Jacksonville child custody lawyer can provide you with compassionate guidance and support. We understand the complexities of these matters and will work tirelessly to protect your rights and the best interests of your child.

Don’t wait to get the legal help you need. Contact our skilled Jacksonville legal team today to schedule a consultation. Let us put our in-depth knowledge of the law to work for you and help you navigate these challenging times.