Blog Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 15-May-2020 Problems with Child Custody During a Pandemic The coronavirus crisis had resulted in an abrupt change in lifestyle for people worldwide. For parents who are separated or divorced and share custody of their children, navigating custody orders and shared parenting time has been difficult... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 3-May-2020 How to Handle Parenting Time in FL During a Pandemic The vast majority of daily life for the average American is disrupted right now. People cannot leave their homes to go to school or work, let alone for activities like going to the mall or the movies... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 28-April-2020 Steps to Take When Divorce Planning in FL First and foremost, divorce is emotional. Indeed, when someone first thinks, “I want to get a divorce!” it likely comes from a place of anger and sadness, not a place of logic and rationale. However, as things progress and the possibility of getting a divorce becomes more realistic, it is important to approach the divorce with a sound frame of mind... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 13-April-2020 Is Possession of Hemp Oil Treated the Same as Marijuana in FL? With the law evolving and with state law being incongruous with federal law, knowing your rights and limitations surrounding the positions and use of various cannabis-derived substances is not always clear... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 5 -April-2020 Spreading the Coronavirus is Officially an Act of Terror The coronavirus has disrupted the global economy, shut down businesses, and resulted in the deaths of thousands. In response, local, state, and federal government officials have advised people to stay at home when possible, maintain six feet of distance between themselves and others outside of their household... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 30-March-2020 What is Parental Alienation? Divorce, especially divorce with children, is extremely challenging. For many parents, divorce is not civil; instead, it is highly contested, filled with harsh words and angry sentiments, and extremely divisive. For these parents, the risk of parental alienation may exist... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 9-March-2020 Terms to Know for a Divorce in 2020 During any divorce, there are going to be some very important terms involved in the process. Knowing what these terms are and how they are going to affect the divorce can help those going through it understand what to expect so they can prepare for it... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 25-Feb-2020 Can an Arrest Impact Your Custody Rights? There is no doubt that a criminal record will impact your life in many ways. You may find difficulty obtaining employment or housing, and your reputation may have suffered as a result, as well... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 19-Feb-2020 Florida Texting While Driving Law in Full Effect Prior to July 1, 2019, texting while driving was illegal in Florida, but it was difficult for police departments to enforce. Today, texting while driving is still illegal in the state, but a new law that went into effect last summer makes it a much more serious offense... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 30-Jan-2020 New Tax Laws Affect Alimony Alimony is often awarded as a part of divorce in Florida. Within the last year, there have been significant changes to alimony as it pertains to taxes. These changes hurt both receivers of alimony as well as individuals who pay it... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 12-Jan-2020 Who Gets to Claim the Children on Their Taxes After Divorce? It is tax time once again, and as people start collecting their documents and receipts, they also start thinking about other deductions they can make. In Florida, as throughout the rest of the country, parents can claim their children as dependents on their taxes... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 25-Nov-2019 The Benefits of Establishing Paternity in Florida When an unmarried mother gives birth, either parent must take several legal steps to establish paternity. Not only does this name a biological parent as the child’s legal father, but it also gives the father certain responsibilities and rights, ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 18-Nov-2019 How a Divorced Parent Can Enjoy the Holidays Without the Kids Whether it’s Thanksgiving or Christmas, the holidays are a time to spend surrounded with loved ones. However, enjoying this festive season is quite difficult in the event of a divorce. The children may spend one holiday with one parent and then ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 11-Nov-2019 Common Holiday Crimes in Florida Not only are the holidays a merry time of the year, but it is also the season that experiences an increase in criminal activity every year. While many people are attending festive events or buying gifts, others are making mistakes that result in ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 4-Nov-2019 What You Can Do to Avoid a Holiday DUI Festive celebrations during the holidays are commonly associated with alcohol consumption. That is why fatal drunk driving collisions and DUI arrests typically increase when it’s this time of year. In order to arrest suspected drunk drivers and ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 29-Oct-2019 What Elder Couples Need to Know About Gray Divorce Gray divorce occurs when a couple over 50 years old end their marriage. According to the Pew Research Center, gray divorces have almost doubled in the last two decades. While divorce can be challenging for all couples, ending a 20- or 30-year ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 22-Oct-2019 Helping Your Child Adapt to a New School After Divorce Divorce can bring about many changes for both parties and their children. When the end of a marriage results in relocation and changing schools, the transition can be quite difficult and frightening for the kids. Parents must do their best to help ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 15-Oct-2019 Can You Go to Jail for Missing Jury Duty in Florida? What is Jury Duty? When a person becomes 18 years old in Florida, he/she is eligible for jury duty once a year. Jury service is a mandatory civic duty that is required by law. The main objective of a jury summons is to select 12 jurors from different ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 8-Oct-2019 Florida Laws Taking Effect in October As of October 1, 2019, there are 27 laws now in effect. From texting while driving to hazing, there are many new and updated laws Florida residents must know about. Here are several criminal laws that are now effective immediately: Texting while ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 30-Sep-2019 Volusia County Pretrial Services Part 4: Veterans Court U.S. military veterans are trained to selflessly serve their country, respect authority, and even perform missions and tasks in warzones and other hostile environments. Unfortunately, the rigors and stress of military service can lead to ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 23-Sep-2019 Volusia County Pretrial Services Part 3: Teen Court If a minor commits a crime in Florida, he/she will often be subject to the juvenile court system. Unlike the criminal court system that is designed to punish adults, the purpose of the juvenile court system is to rehabilitate juvenile offenders to ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 16-Sep-2019 Volusia County Pretrial Services Part 2: DUI Court A conviction for a first-time DUI offense carries a jail sentence of up to six months, a maximum $1,000 fine, and driver’s license suspension for up six months. A second or third DUI offense can lead to harsher penalties and even a felony ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 9-Sep-2019 Volusia County Pretrial Services Part 1: Drug Court Criminal offenses in Florida can lead to serious penalties, whether it’s a misdemeanor or felony offense. A conviction is punishable by a long jail or prison sentence, costly fines, and a permanent mark on your criminal record. Since most ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 30-Aug-2019 What is Contempt of Court in Florida? Whether a judge awarded you alimony or ordered you to pay monthly child support, each party is obligated to follow the court orders associated with a divorce. Unfortunately, there are many cases where an ex-spouse refuses to honor a court order by ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 27-Aug-2019 Can a Victim Drop a Florida Domestic Violence Charge? Whether it’s a spouse or a family member, people who love each other sometimes do not get along. Sometimes, an argument can quickly turn into a physical altercation at the heat of the moment, which may cause the victim, another loved one, or a ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 23-Aug-2019 Estimating the Market Value of Marital Assets during Divorce Property division is one of the most important aspects of a divorce. Since Florida is an “equitable distribution” state, the courts will assess the value of significant assets (e.g. houses, motor vehicles, retirement plans, and valuable ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 20-Aug-2019 Marijuana Cases Dismissed or Put on Hold due to Florida Hemp Laws Florida lawmakers legalized the cultivation and sale of hemp and hemp-related products such as CBD on July 1, 2019. However, the new legislation inadvertently created an issue for state prosecutors, forcing them to dismiss pending low-level marijuana ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Stepniak Park 30-Jul-2019 Gun Rights & Domestic Violence in Florida Whether it’s a misdemeanor or a felony, a conviction for a domestic violence offense in Florida is associated with harsh penalties. For example, domestic violence involving battery is either a first-degree misdemeanor that carries a maximum ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 25-Jul-2019 Can I Travel While on Probation in Florida? Many people and families take vacations in the summer since the sun is out, the weather is warmer, and students are on an extended break. However, those who are currently on probation may be wondering if they can travel outside the county, state, or ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Stepniak Park 23-Jul-2019 Andrew's Law Toughens Florida Hazing Statute At the end of June, Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 1008—commonly referred to as “Andrew’s Law”—which toughens measures against hazing after loopholes were found after the November 2017 death of Andrew Coffey, a ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 18-Jul-2019 Raiding Area 51 Could Lead to Arrest or Worse What started off as a joke event has become a viral meme sensation that has caught the attention of the U.S. military. More than 1.5 million people have RSVP’d to the Facebook event “Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All Of Us,” ... Continue Reading Posted By Stepniak & Park 26-Jun-2019 Do I Have to Take a Breath Test After a FL DUI Arrest? After a DUI arrest, the police will ask you to take a breath, blood, or urine test to determine your blood alcohol content (BAC) level or how much drugs are in your system. Your BAC or concentration of drugs in your blood will be used in court to ... Continue Reading Posted By Stepniak & Park 19-Jun-2019 Florida's Deadbeat Dad Law When a child support order is established by the court, the noncustodial parent is responsible for making monthly payments to the custodial parent to support your children. The majority of noncustodial parents are men. Florida Deadbeat Dads While ... Continue Reading Posted By Stepniak & Park 12-Jun-2019 Can Pouring Ketchup on a Loved One Lead to Criminal Charges? When you think of misdemeanor domestic battery, assault and even verbal abuse often come to mind. However, you could also add pouring ketchup on someone to bring such criminal charges. A man from Pinellas Park, Florida, is facing a misdemeanor charge ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 30-May-2019 Robert Kraft Gets Video Evidence Suppressed in Solicitation Case A couple of weeks ago, a Florida judge ruled that surveillance video and other evidence in the prostitution solicitation case against New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft are inadmissible in court. This is considered a huge victory for Kraft, who ... Continue Reading Posted By Law Offices of Robert Stepniak 23-May-2019 Florida House Passes Bill to Make Voting Harder for Ex-Felons Although Florida voters passed Amendment 4 that restores the right for ex-felons to finally vote in Florida, the House passed the Voting Rights Restoration Act in early May, requiring these individuals to pay all financial obligations before they can ... Continue Reading