Divorce Lawyers Orlando - An Interview with Wanda Reas
Q1. Tell us about yourself and your practice.
I am a 39 year old mother of a 2 ½ month old beautiful little girl. I’ve been a practicing attorney for over 10 years and I am a Partner with Znosko & Reas, P. A. I am constantly faced with decisions where I am forced to juggle between my busy practice and my job as a Mother at home. I practice in the area of Family Law and Insurance Defense. As an Attorney in the Family Law arena I handle adoptions, divorces, child support modification, child custody situations, paternity issues and typically any issues that deal with marriage and family.
Q2. I have engaged your services, what happens next?
I first meet with my potential client to discuss the issues and the type of case they may have. I also recommend, in cases where things can be resolved without litigation, other alternative dispute resolution processes, such as 4-way conferences between the parties with attorneys or at Mediation. I firmly believe that litigation isn’t good for either the marital partners or the children involved, and often only benefits the attorney. That being said, however; many of my clients find themselves in a situation where litigation can not be avoided. After a consultation with a potential client, the next step is usually to discuss their options, the cost involved and what direction and solution they wish to achieve in their case.
Q3. What is your billing and payment procedure?
I offer two types of billing to my family law clients. In an undisputed, simple divorce, I will typically offer a flat rate which includes all legal advice, preparation of paperwork and completion of the Dissolution/Divorce with the appropriate Court. The same flat rate schedule can apply to an adoption proceeding. In disputed cases, I typically bill an hourly rate, against a retainer amount, with a reduced rate for any work done by my Paralegal. We accept payment by way of credit card through PayPal and usually bill our clients once a month.
Q4. Do you have multiple locations within the community for easy access?
We have a primary location in Longwood, Florida, and will be opening up a location near the downtown Orlando area in the near future. The attorneys in our Firm practice throughout the State of Florida from our Central Florida office. We find that having a central location helps with the cohesiveness of managing our casework while still allowing our attorneys to practice throughout the State of Florida. We are more than happy to schedule phone consultations, and with today’s technology and electronic mail capabilities, are able to represent clients without issue despite their location anywhere in the State.
Q5. What are the grounds for a divorce?
Florida Statutes provides two primary grounds for Dissolution of Marriage:
1) The Marriage is irretrievably broken;
The Respondent party can deny the allegation that the marriage is irretrievably broken. The Court may order the parties to consult a "Marriage Counselor, Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Minister or other person qualified by the Court and acceptable to the parties and may continue the proceedings for a period not to exceed three months, to enable the parties to attempt reconciliation."
2) One of the parties has been adjudged mentally incapacitated, for a period of three or more years.
Q6. How much will it cost to file for divorce?
Each county requires a filing fee to file for divorce. In both Orange and Seminole Counties, the filing fee is $453 (this includes a $10 summons fee and a $35 process fee). The only other cost associated with filing for divorce would be attorney’s fees and litigation costs (depositions, etc).
The cost associated with a divorce depends directly upon whether your spouse retains an attorney; fights the distribution of the assets and liabilities; fights for timesharing and/or any other issues dealing with children as a result of the marriage. In some cases, in a simplified divorce where no children are involved, or where both parties agree on the separation on assets and liabilities; a divorce can cost as little as the expense of the filing fee with the county filed and cost of paperwork. In other cases, where litigation is a significant factor and the parties refuse to agree to any terms, a divorce could cost thousands of dollars and drag on for a couple of years. Also, I do not recommend agreeing to resolve issues with your spouse when he is being represented by an attorney, and you have not received any legal advice
. Q7. Can a parent modify the settlement once it is agreed on?
Typically alimony and child support can be modified if awarded. Time sharing with children cannot be modified unless through agreement between the parties. This question is very fact specific and a general answer is always difficult to give as each case is usually different and must be addressed specifically.
Q8. How is child support determined?
In the State of Florida, child support is based upon a statutory formula where both parents’ incomes are taken into consideration within the calculations. Gross incomes of both parties are used to make this determination. Also, child care and the children’s healthcare expenses are taken into consideration. Finally, the amount of time sharing of both parties is a significant factor in determining child support.
Q9. What happens if no negotiation is reached?
If the parties are unable to reach a negotiation, then the issues are tried in front of a Judge in the county where the divorce is filed.
For readers of "Bizymoms", our Firm offers free consultations to answer specific questions regarding your personal situation. We will be more then happy to schedule a phone consultation or office consultation by contacting our office at 866/899-3224. Also, feel free to visit our website at www.znoskoreas.com .We have listed resources within the website to answer any additional questions that you may have.
We know that divorce is never an easy decision to make, and not necessarily always the right decision. However, we are here to assist you in getting through this process.
