Marital and Family Law in Florida

Full-service marital family law firm serving Tampa, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, Clearwater and the surrounding areas.

When facing the frustrations of divorce, post-divorce proceedings or other family law matters, you need a well-trained and experienced family law attorney and team on your side.  Walters Levine & DeGrave attorneys are both experienced negotiators and zealous advocates for your rights.  They will provide the protections that you and your family need during your time of change and uncertainty. Their family law practice areas include:

• High net-worth divorce
• Business owner’s divorce
• Real estate and divorce
• Collaborative divorce
• Mediation;
• Uncontested divorce
• Military Divorce
• Jewish Divorce (GET)
• Minor Child Relocation actions
• Prenuptial Agreements and Postnuptial Agreements.

High Net-Worth Divorce

Walters Levine & DeGrave is experienced in working with divorce actions involving substantial income and substantial net-worth. They can appropriately analyze your case, negotiate a fair divorce settlement, or litigate your contested case should that become necessary.

While many attorneys practice in the area of marital and family law, precious few understand how to appropriately analyze and administer complex financial divorce cases.  Complex financial cases require attorneys with significant specialized training, experienced support staff and many years of experience administering complex financial issues.

In most financially complex divorce cases the majority of the process is centered around the division of assets and liabilities (equitable distribution) as well as the navigation of substantial alimony claims.  Appropriate case administration may also include the retention of forensic specialists such as accountants, appraisers, and vocational evaluators.  This firm can provide not only appropriate attorneys but also assist in the retention of beneficial forensic specialists.

Business Owner’s Divorce

The successful navigation of a business owner’s divorce often requires a combination of legal skills, business expertise, specialized education and related skillsets.  In addition, access to supporting forensic specialists such as accountants and appraisers is often beneficial. The family law team at Walters Levine & DeGrave has attorneys with not only deep marital and family law experience but also business management expertise. This should be a deep topic of discussion at your initial consultation.

Real Estate and Divorce

A substantial portion of Florida’s economy is based upon the development and management of real estate assets. Understanding these assets and their associated debts is a must when analyzing a divorce case. One must also understand how a division of net worth and how cash flow sapping support claims can undermine the viability of these assets. The attorneys at Walters Levine & DeGrave will put their understanding of your portfolio to work to protect what you have worked so hard to create and grow. This should be a deep topic of discussion at your initial consultation.

Collaborative Divorce and Mediation

Alternative dispute resolution has become increasingly popular in the area of marital and family law.  Today the vast majority of divorce cases are settled prior to the need for a contested final hearing.  Alternative dispute resolution primarily consists of mediation and collaborative law.  While mediation has been popular for many years, the more thorough and involved process of collaborative law has greatly increased in popularity only recently.  Attorneys at Walters Levine & DeGrave have significant experience in settling the majority of their marital and family law cases through mediation and collaborative law.  This topic should always be discussed at the initial consultation.

Uncontested Divorce

While most marital and family law cases are eventually settled, many are actually settled prior to the filing of the divorce lawsuit thus resulting in an uncontested divorce from the very beginning.  Should you feel that your marital and family law case is capable of immediate, pre-filing resolution then the attorneys at Walters Levine & DeGrave have significant experience in negotiating and administering uncontested family law matters, including divorces.

Military Divorce

West Central Florida is no stranger to members of the military.  MacDill Airforce Base has been a constant fixture of this area and its economy for many years.  The attorneys of Walters Levine & DeGrave have significant experience in the area of military divorce including the complex area of pension division.

Jewish Divorce

West Central Florida is home to many of the Jewish faith. The attorneys of Walters Levine & DeGrave, many of whom are Jewish, stand ready willing and able to incorporate your unique and specific religious needs into the divorce process.

Relocation Actions

One of the most difficult areas of marital and family law is the area of minor child relocations.  This area of law is a subset of general marital and family law which needs to be deeply and thoroughly understood in order to properly administer your case for your benefit and the benefit of your children.  Should you feel the need to relocate with your minor children, or should you wish to defend against such a relocation, then hiring an experienced legal team is of paramount importance.  The attorneys of Walters Levine & DeGrave are prepared to defend the interests of both you and your children in your time of need.

Prenuptial Agreements and Postnuptial Agreements

Families and family structures are always evolving.  The makeup of the typical successful American family is different today than it was for your parents.  Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements have dramatically increased in popularity in recent years.  Following their increased popularity has been the expansion of a significant body of Florida law which deals with the preparation and enforcement of these agreements.  The legal team at Walters Levine & DeGrave has both the experience and knowledge to negotiate, create and enforce these agreements.  Choosing a competent legal advisor is crucially important given that a Prenuptial or Postnuptial Agreement is often the most important and far reaching document you will ever sign.

The Importance of the Initial Divorce Case Analysis

A brief or informal initial divorce consultation is no replacement for a quality face-to-face and in depth discussion of your case.  While the former may be less expensive, it is the ultimate false economy. Your initial consultation is often the most important event of the entire process of dissolving your marriage or managing your family law dispute.  The initial consultation is:

1. Where you should organize, list and discuss all of the relevant facts of your case; and
2. Where you should discuss the likely realistic outcomes of your case; and
3. Where you should discuss the general divorce process, meaning how you get from where you are to the end of the process; and
4. Where you discuss likely costs.

There is a lot to talk about during the initial divorce consultation.  If time permits, you should also discuss your personal priorities in the case.  Some examples could include:  A desire to relocate, questions about grandparents’ rights, a desire to retain a particular asset such as the marital home, or even being awarded a loving pet.

The more you know and understand at the beginning of the divorce process, the more likely you are to achieve a good outcome as quickly and inexpensively as possible, meaning less money spent, less aggravation, less stress, and less time wasted.

The initial consultation is also the best time for you, the client, to determine if the lawyer you are interviewing is the right fit for you and your particular case.  Does the lawyer have sufficient experience and the correct type of experience needed for your particular case?  Does their practice primarily involve family law?  Do they appear knowledgeable?  Does the lawyer think and talk logically and intelligently?  Do the two of you communicate well or bond appropriately?  Does the attorney understand you and the type of help you need?  Can you afford the type of legal services being offered?  These are just a few of the questions you should ask yourself either during or immediately after the initial consultation.

A big part of the initial consultation is determining what type of experience and expertise the attorney really has, because family law is one of the few areas of law that often incorporates many other professional disciplines.  Dealing with people’s personal and financial lives is often much more complex than prosecuting a simple mortgage foreclosure action or preparing a contract. A fully experienced divorce attorney needs to have knowledge and experience in the areas of accounting, taxes, real estate, small business operations, bankruptcy, debt collection, appeals, and potential other areas.  What areas of expertise will be needed depends upon the facts of your particular case.

Contact our legal team now

To schedule your in-depth consultation with an experienced attorney, contact the offices of Walters Levine & DeGrave today.