Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Property Division in Long-Term Same-Sex Relationships That Predated Legal Marriage Recognition
For some same-sex spouses, the date on the marriage certificate came years after the life together had already begun. The home was already shared. Bills were already paid together. Careers, children, savings, businesses, and family routines may have been built around a commitment that felt like marriage long before Florida law treated it that… Read More »
When Trust Is Broken: Using a Postnup After Financial or Emotional Betrayal
Trust can break in more than one way during a marriage. Sometimes the damage comes from an affair. Sometimes it comes from hidden credit cards, secret loans, gambling losses, undisclosed business debt, or money moved without the other spouse’s knowledge. Discovery of the betrayal can leave everything feeling unstable, including the household’s finances, the… Read More »
Protecting Children from Domestic Violence in Florida Family Law Cases
Domestic violence can change the way every parenting decision feels. A child does not have to be physically struck to be harmed by violence in the home. Fear, shouting, threats, police visits, intimidation, and the constant need to watch a parent’s mood can affect a child’s sense of safety long after the immediate danger… Read More »
Do Florida Divorce Court Orders Ever Expire? What to Know About Enforceability Over Time
Divorce orders are meant to bring structure to a difficult transition. They divide property, set support obligations, approve parenting plans, and turn settlement promises into court orders. A final judgment can feel like a closing chapter until a payment stops, a deed remains unsigned, a retirement account is never divided, or a parenting schedule… Read More »
Offshore Accounts and International Wealth in Florida High-Asset Divorces
High-asset divorce becomes more complicated when marital wealth sits outside the United States. The marital estate might include a foreign account, overseas real estate, an international business interest, cryptocurrency held through a foreign platform, or a trust structure connected to another country. During the marriage, those assets may have felt like part of the… Read More »
Second Marriages and Blended Families in High-Net-Worth Divorces
Second marriages often begin with hope, experience, and a clearer sense of what family means. They can also bring together children from prior relationships, premarital wealth, business interests, estate plans, and promises made before the new marriage ever began. When a high-net-worth second marriage ends, divorce rarely affects only two people. It can touch… Read More »
Protecting Confidentiality and Privacy in High-Profile Florida Divorces
Divorce requires people to disclose parts of their lives they may have spent years keeping private. Income, investments, business interests, personal communications, parenting concerns, and household spending can all come under scrutiny. For an executive, public figure, entrepreneur, physician, or other well-known professional, the same information can attract attention far beyond the family. Public… Read More »
When Florida Courts Divide Marital Property Unequally
Property division can feel intensely personal during divorce. A marital home may represent years of family life, while retirement savings, investment accounts, and accumulated debt reflect decisions the spouses made together. Once those assets are reduced to values on a financial affidavit, much of the history behind them can disappear. Florida courts begin with… Read More »
When Florida Child Support Guidelines No Longer Fit High-Income Families
Child support looks different when one or both parents have substantial financial resources. The monthly budget may include private school, specialized childcare, competitive athletics, international travel, tutoring, household assistance, or a home chosen around the child’s school and activities. Expenses that seem unusual in another family may have been part of this child’s ordinary… Read More »
DNA Testing in Florida Paternity Cases: What to Expect and What It Means
Questions about paternity carry emotional weight long before anyone sees a laboratory report. A mother may need certainty about who will share responsibility for raising the child. A man may want an honest answer before stepping fully into fatherhood. For the child, knowing both biological parents can affect identity, medical history, financial support, and… Read More »