Florida parents often ask: “My teenager wants to live with me—do they get to choose?”
The short answer to this is No.
In Florida, judges decide time sharing (custody/parenting time) by applying the best interests of the child standard in Florida Statute 61.13. That statute lists 20 factors the court must consider.
A child’s preference can be one factor, but only if the judge finds the child sufficiently mature, and it’s weighed alongside the other 19 factors, not in isolation.
In this video, Gary Dolgin, Family Law attorney in Tampa and Board Certified Expert in Marital & Family Law with 35+ years of experience, explains how Florida courts approach teenage preferences, what “sufficient maturity” means, and how parents can present a child-focused plan that supports stability, school performance, health, and strong relationships with both parents.
In this video, Gary Dolgin, a Board Certified Expert in Marital and Family Law with over 35 years of experience, explains how Florida courts determine alimony under Florida Statute 61.08 and how these laws are applied in Hillsborough County family courts.
One of the most common questions clients ask is, “How much alimony will I receive?” The truth is that alimony decisions are highly fact-specific. Judges in Tampa divorce cases first look at:
– The monthly financial need of one spouse
– The ability of the other spouse to pay
From there, the court considers several additional factors, including the length of the marriage, the marital standard of living, and each spouse’s financial circumstances.
One of the most common questions parents ask during a divorce or paternity case is: “How is child support determined in Florida?”
In this video, Gary S. Dolgin, a Board-Certified Expert in Marital & Family Law and Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Law Mediator with more than 35 years of experience, explains how Florida courts calculate child support and the factors that can affect the amount paid each month.
Many parents are surprised to learn that child support is not simply a number chosen by a judge. Florida uses child support guidelines that are designed to create consistency and fairness. Courts consider several important factors when determining child support obligations, including each parent’s income, the number of overnight visits each parent has with the child, health insurance costs, daycare expenses, and other child-related expenses.
Because every family’s situation is unique, the final child support calculation can vary significantly from one case to another. Understanding how the guidelines work can help you make informed decisions and avoid costly mistakes during your family law case.
This is one of the most common child custody questions asked by parents throughout Tampa and Hillsborough County.
In this video, Gary S. Dolgin, a Board-Certified Expert in Marital & Family Law with more than 35 years of experience, explains what happens when parents cannot agree on where their child should attend school.
In Florida, courts generally favor shared parental responsibility, which means both parents are expected to communicate and work together when making important decisions regarding their child’s education, healthcare, and overall welfare. However, when parents are unable to reach an agreement regarding school selection, the court may need to intervene.
Many parents are surprised to learn that a judge typically does not personally choose which school a child will attend. Instead, the court may grant one parent ultimate decision-making authority regarding educational decisions based upon the best interests of the child.