On November 9, 2011, Sessums Black, PA will be participating in the Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers food drive to benefit Feeding America Tampa Bay. Sessums Black, PA believes that excellence as attorneys is achieved through not only one’s education and legal experience but also through one’s positive contributions to the community.
A Marital Settlement Agreement puts in writing all the aspects of the divorcing parties’ settlement. Topics covered in the Marital Settlement Agreement include the division of the parties’ assets and liabilities (called “equitable distribution”), alimony, child support, payment of attorney’s fees and costs, and any other items to which the parties have agreed. Agreements regarding parental responsibility and timesharing are typically included in a parenting plan referenced within the Marital Settlement Agreement and attached as an exhibit. The Florida Supreme Court has approved three generic Marital Settlement Agreement forms (12.902(f)(1) – 12.902(f)(3)) to help divorcing parties think through the financial issues they face: (1) Marital Settlement Agreement for Dissolution of Marriage with Dependent or Minor Child(ren); (2) Marital Settlement Agreement for Dissolution of Marriage with Property but No Dependent or Minor Child(ren); and (3) Marital Settlement Agreement for Simplified Dissolution of Marriage. Sessums Black, PA prides itself on providing its clients facing the complexities of divorce with excellent legal representation.
Marital Settlement Agreement – With Minor Children
Marital Settlement Agreement – With Property but Without Minor Children
Marital Settlement Agreement – Simplified Dissolution of Marriage (no property or minor children)
Florida Supreme Court Family Law Forms Website
Resolving the legal aspects of family situations does not have to be a painful process. Two alternatives to the traditional practice of seeking a court-dictated resolution are mediation and the collaborative process. Mediation employs a neutral third party to assist in settlement negotiations. In the collaborative process, each party selects his/her own attorney and there are shared financial and mental health experts working together towards a non-adversarial settlement. For more information on mediation and the collaborative process, please click on the links below from the 13th Judicial Circuit of Hillsborough County and the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals. All of the attorneys at Sessums Black, PA have experience using mediation to reach amicable resolutions. Caroline Black completed advanced training in alternative dispute resolution and are members of the local and national chapters of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals and the Collaborative Divorce Lawyers of Tampa Bay.
Dividing property including real estate, vehicles, financial accounts, stocks, and businesses during a divorce can be difficult. While many couples can agree to a division, at times an amicable resolution may not be feasible. To help avoid a financially and emotionally costly litigation, it is important to prioritize after carefully considering the big picture because not everything is worth a fight, particularly in an unfavorable economy. Caroline Black is a member of the AAML, a highly regarded organization devoted to providing leadership that promotes the highest degree of professionalism and excellence in the practice of family law. Sessums Black, PA believes in individualized representation to assist its clients in efficiently and prudently meeting their priorities during the division of their marital estates.
