Legal Services

Corrie Ellen Graham provides a number of Florida family law legal services for clients in Winter Garden, Orlando and throughout Central Florida. Below are descriptions of some of the family law legal matters Ms. Graham resolves:

Areas of Legal Practice:

Florida Divorce

In contested Florida divorces, the parties are unable to agree on some or all of the terms of divorce.  Attorney Corrie Ellen Graham works with her client and opposing counsel to resolve as many issues as possible before going in front of a Judge.  A required practice in most Florida counties is to attend divorce mediation in an attempt to resolve common areas of disagreement.

Common areas of disagreement often include, but are not limited to: grounds for divorce, time-sharing, parenting plan, division of the assets of the marriage, child support, alimony, payment debts, etc. In a contested divorce, the couple seeks to let the court system decide the matters related to the divorce, which they can not resolve on their own.

Often after receiving legal advice and gaining an understanding of the law, parties are able to resolve their divorce issues in mediation or through a Marriage Settlement Agreement with the assistance of Attorney Graham. So what was a Florida contested divorce becomes an uncontested divorce.  An uncontested divorce is when the parties are in agreement on all matters, and the courts role is to approve their divorce agreement.

Parenting Plan and Time-Sharing

Graham Family Law Firm, PA can draft a very detailed Parenting Plan and Time-Sharing Schedule in either a Paternity case or a Florida Dissolution of Marriage case. Parenting Plans outline the individual and joint responsibilities of each parent as they relate to their children. Parenting plans outline time-sharing schedules of when the children will spend time with each parent, issues pertaining to extra-curricular activities, school designations, decision-making regarding healthcare of minor children, division of uncovered medical expenses, childcare costs, etc.

The time-sharing schedule addresses drop off and pick up times for the child/children, drop off and pick up time location, non-holiday time-sharing, holiday time-sharing, summer time-sharing, the Right of First Refusal (the Right to spend time with your child when the other parent is unavailable), childcare issues, etc.

Establishment of Paternity/Disestablishment of Paternity

Establishment of Paternity is the legal determination that a man is the father of a child. If both parties are the biological parents of the child and can agree on the issues relating to Paternity, Graham Family Law Firm, PA will assist you in drafting a Paternity Agreement which acknowledges the paternity, time-sharing arrangements between the parents, establishment of child support, child support arrears (backed support) and all other pertinent issues.  If the parties’ cannot agree, Graham Family Law Firm, PA can file a Motion for court ordered DNA testing on your behalf to determine the biological parents of the child, and will represent you in mediation to resolve paternity issues. If needed, Graham Family Law Firm, PA will try your case in front of the Judge to resolve all issues pertaining to Paternity.

Disestablishment of Paternity is permissible under the Florida Statutes in certain situations. Graham Family Law Firm, PA can assist you in understanding Florida Statute §742.18 to see if disestablishment of paternity and child support termination applies to your situation.

Child Support

Child Support is a payment designated for the purpose of providing funds to support the needs of your child. Graham Family Law Firm, PA can assist you in establishing a child support order, disestablishing a child support order (if it applies in your case,) modify a child support order, filing a motion to enforce a child support order, etc.

Graham Family Law Firm, PA will inform you on how the State of Florida calculates child support. Did you know that child support payments are not tax deductible by the payer nor taxable to the payee? If you have questions about the Florida Disbursement Unit, Income Deduction Orders, a Notice of Delinquency from the Clerk of Court Attorney Graham would be honored to address your questions during a phone or office consultation.

Alimony

There are many types of alimony in Florida and knowing what type of alimony applies to your Florida family law case often seems complicated. Attorney Graham can provide her legal opinion as to whether permanent alimony, durational alimony, rehabilitative alimony, bridge-the-gap alimony, temporary alimony or lump sum alimony is appropriate in your case.  If alimony is not appropriate, Attorney Graham will explain why during your phone or office consultation. Florida Statute §61.08 lists many factors that go into determining alimony and Attorney Graham will apply these factors to the facts in your case.

Division of Property

Have you heard of “Equitable Distribution?”  Florida is an Equitable Distribution State.  Clients often think that Equitable Distribution means 50/50 but it DOES NOT. Equitable Distribution means that the distribution of property is just and fair.  Attorney Graham will discuss during your phone or office consultation the factors that are often used to determine a fair and just distribution of property by the Judge under the Florida Statutes.

Collaborative Law

Attorney Graham is trained in Collaborative Law as well.  Collaborative Law is an out-of-court, confidential, team approach utilized to resolve family law issues.  Collaborative teams consist of the parties, two family law attorneys, a mental health neutral and a financial neutral.  Contact Attorney Graham to learn more about how a Collaborative Law team approach could help you in your family law matter.

Modifications

Do you have a long-term child support order that does not reduce the amount of child support you are to pay when one child turns 18 and there are remaining minor children? Do you wonder if you have that support order modified? Do you need a modification of your Paternity Agreement, Final Judgment of Dissolution? Contact Attorney Graham for a consultation for answers to these common questions.

Mediation Hearings & Divorce Mediation

Attorney Graham will sit by your side, explain the law as it pertains to your situation and do her best to help you reach an amicable resolution for your mediation or divorce mediation in Florida.

Injunction Hearings

Are you a victim of domesticate abuse? Have you been falsely accused of domestic abuse? Do you need to be defended against a civil injunction being entered, which could limit your time-sharing with your (child)ren and place hardship on your relationship with your child?  Attorney Graham represents both Petitioners and Respondents in domestic violence injunction hearings. Do you wonder how an injunction with impact your time-sharing, child support and/or access to your home? A consultation will provide answers to these questions.