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Month: January 2016

Temporary Custody of Minor Children by an Extended Family Member

There are times when an extended family member will want temporary custody or concurrent custody of a child who is not their own. To do so, the family member will need to file a petition with the court. The filing fee for this is about $400. Temporary Custody Temporary custody refers to the parents of the child permitting an extended family member to temporarily become the child’s “parent.” This will allow that individual to live with a child who is not his or her own and includes making decisions regarding the child’s medical, educational and recreational needs and wants. It also allows the...

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Penalties for Leaving the Scene of an Accident

All motorists know, or should know, their obligations when involved in an accident. These duties are uniform throughout the country with some few differences and subtleties of which many motorists may not be aware, some of which depend on whether the accident was property damage only or involved injuries. The penalties for not fulfilling these obligations also depend on whether the accident involved injuries or death or was property damage only. Motorists fail to remain at the scene of an accident for various reasons. If a driver caused an accident by erratic driving that caused another vehicle...

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How Does Divorce Affect Your Tax Filing Status?

Your marital status on the final day of the year determines how you may file. Married couples generally file jointly but if you are divorced as of December 31, you can file either as single or as head of household, so long as you qualify. Being separated or subject to a child support order does not affect your status although you can claim head of household if you are not divorced. Separated or Married Generally, you can be considered “unmarried” if you are legally separated as of December 31. Because Florida has no legal separation status, you are considered married even though you can have...

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How Does the Bail Bond Process Work?

Should you, a friend or a relative be placed under arrest and jailed, bail is typically imposed according to a standard schedule for certain crimes. Under Florida law, you must appear before a judge or magistrate within 24-hours who will in most cases either review and confirm the bail amount if set, set no bail if you committed a non-bondable offense such as homicide or a crime of domestic violence, or release you on your own recognizance (ROR) and without bail. After you are taken to a jail or detention center, you are allowed to contact an attorney. Your lawyer may be able to arrange for...

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