Caring for a loved one, whether an aging parent or spouse, an adult child with disabilities, or someone facing serious illness, is a selfless act that often requires the caregiver to step in to help with important decisions. And at some point, the caregiver usually needs legal authority to make these decisions and manage their …
Schedule a Free ConsultationMost people want their loved ones to inherit smoothly, not spend months (or years) in court to access the assets that were left to them. But if the estate goes through probate, that is precisely what can happen. Probate – the legal process that oversees how someone’s assets are distributed after death …
Each November, National Family Caregivers Month recognizes the millions of family members who quietly shoulder the responsibility of caring for aging parents, disabled spouses, or loved ones facing chronic illness. These caregivers provide much more than meals, medication, and transportation. Their personal sacrifices are largely unnoticed, and yet they continue to show up out of …
The holiday season often brings a whirlwind of expenses, from seasonal gifts to travel costs to see loved ones. And for separated or divorced parents in Florida, this can create confusion. Who pays for what? What is included in child support, and what isn’t? If you are co-parenting in Florida, understanding Florida’s child support laws …
Facing the possibility of a divorce is never easy, especially as the year comes to a close. Divorce isn’t just a legal process. It’s a financial and emotional turning point. Before December 31 rolls around, you should consider some practical steps to help protect your interests, position yourself for a smoother process, and begin the …
Schedule a Free ConsultationRelocation is a reality in today’s world. Whether it’s for a job, greater financial stability, family support, or safety, moving is just part of modern life. But after a separation or divorce, family courts must often decide whether and how far apart parents can live from each other when making relocation decisions. …
For many people going through divorce, the holidays are some of the loneliest times of the year. Despite glowing storefronts, office parties, and social media posts full of smiling families, you’re confronted with a steady reminder of the life you once had. The traditions that used to be comforting only further highlight what’s missing. Even …
Divorce can be an emotional and logistical challenge for any family, but for those who serve in the armed forces, or are married to someone who does, housing concerns often add another layer of legal complications. In the Tampa area, where military installations like MacDill Air Force Base play a major role in our community, …
Divorce is never easy, but for military families, it can present unique challenges that civilian divorces don’t involve. Active-duty service members face deployments, frequent relocations, and unpredictable schedules that can make it difficult to respond to legal filings or manage court deadlines in divorce or custody cases. To protect the men and women who serve, …
Schedule a Free ConsultationWhat Makes Your Marriage Invalid – and How to Know if Annulment Is Right for You Annulment is a rare remedy compared to divorce. However, if the right conditions apply, it allows a court to declare that the marriage was never valid from the start. Unlike divorce, which ends a legally valid …
Military families live a life of service and sacrifice that often goes quietly unnoticed. Day after day, they shoulder the weight of long separations, unpredictable schedules, and the constant demands of military duty. Spouses keep households running and provide stability for their children while service members fulfill their missions. This resilience is the backbone of …
For many families, love goes beyond the traditional boundaries of parent and child. Sometimes, when biological parents are unable to provide care, relatives step forward to ensure that children are not left without a stable, loving home. In Florida, this is known as kinship adoption, a legal process that allows grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, or …
Adoption and Termination of Parental Rights: How the Court Decides Adoption is one of the most rewarding areas of family law because it gives children the chance of a safe, stable, and permanent home. For adoptive parents, it can represent the fulfillment of a dream. For children, it provides security and a sense of loving permanence within a family. However, adoption also involves legalities that must first be addressed. For an adoption to move forward, …
Growing Families Through Adoption: What You Need to Know About the Legal Process By: K. Sloan Lambert, Esq. Adoption is one of the most meaningful ways to build a family. Each November, during National Adoption Month, our family law attorneys at Melone Hatley, P.C. like to recognize the thousands of families formed through the adoption process and highlight the legal process – …
How to Keep Laredo Property Out of Probate Using Transfer-On-Death Tools When a loved one passes away, families not only face the immense grief of the loss but also the stress and cost of administering the estate. This process is called probate. The probate process can be time-consuming and costly. For families in Laredo, where property ownership often ties into cultural heritage and family legacy, avoiding probate whenever possible can protect financial …
Fall Family Checklist: 6 Legal Essentials to Prepare for the Holidays Legal issues don’t just pause for the holiday season. In fact, questions about custody, visitation, and support often become even more pressing as families juggle year-end schedules and obligations. As family law attorneys, we often see a surge of disputes around every holiday season, most of which could have been avoided …
Schedule a Free Consultation Divorce is never easy, but when one spouse serves in the military, navigating the end of a marriage takes on additional nuances. And if adultery is involved, the situation can become even more challenging. While infidelity results in personal heartbreak in any divorce, it carries additional financial and professional implications in …
Schedule a Free Consultation Understanding Child Support When parents separate or divorce, one of the first considerations will be how they will financially support their child. Child support is more than just a monthly payment from one parent to the other. It’s a legal and moral commitment ensuring your child continues to have the same …