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Edition 146 - 11
Columnists The Boca Raton Tribune
FAITH
DIVORCE FLORIDA STYLE
By Randy Alcorn
By Mike Gora
Courage In The Workplace For many people in today’s workplace, security is their primary concern: A steady job; an acceptable income; manageable job responsibilities; predictable expectations. And who can blame them? With the world economy remaining as uncertain as ever, simply having a job is a blessing. So avoid saying or doing anything that could jeopardize a “secure” position. Why rock the boat?
beyond the confines of the familiar, established and dependable – can come from other sources as well:
Courage to take a stand. When you feel strongly enough about a belief or principle, courage demands that you not compromise. Perhaps you believe a change in strategy is necessary, despite opposition. Or maybe you think change would be wrong, regardless of pressures to do so. Yet most high achievers, those Follow the example of “…the men that have left indelible marks in of Issachar, who understood the their areas of endeavor, have been times and knew what Israel should ones that exhibited uncommon do” (1 Chronicles 12:32). courage – willing to swim against the current, to challenge the status Courage to proceed despite quo, to venture into the unknown danger. Moving forward, or with no guarantees of success. instituting major changes, can involve considerable risk. But if The examples of Bill Gates and you sense God is directing you to Steve Jobs immediately come to move forward, acting boldly with mind, individuals that envisioned courage is warranted. “Have I not uses and capabilities for computers commanded you? Be strong and that their peers never dreamed of courageous. Do not be terrified; being possible. We have the classic do not be discouraged, for the example of inventors like Thomas Lord your God will be with you Edison, who is said to have remained wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). undaunted by setbacks in his quest to invent the light bulb, convinced Courage to persevere. When that each failure represented one goals are not met or expectations step closer to success. fall short, it can be easy to give up. At such times, the courage Where does such courage come to persist, to remain focuses on from? Sometimes it comes from the objective, is essential. “Let us necessity. A friend, Gary, was not become weary in doing good, mired in a low-paying, hourly wage for at the proper time we will job unable to satisfy the desires reap a harvest if we do not give he had for his family. Instead of up”(Galatians 6:9). accepting his circumstances or blaming others for his plight, Courage to act on convictions. Gary implemented an extensive The business and professional personal improvement project, world can be an amoral acquiring the tools and skills he environment, ruled by “situational needed to become a successful sales ethics” – whatever it takes to close executive. Today he urges others to the deal. It requires courage to stay take similar steps of courage. His true to high standards of behavior life has become a living example of and practice. “…Stand firm. Let a time-honored biblical principle: nothing move you. Always give “The laborer’s appetite works for yourselves fully to the work of the him; his hunger drives him on” Lord, because you know that your (Proverbs 16:26). labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). Courage – willingness to step
Gone Tomorrow Q: I have just had a disturbing preliminary consultation with a divorce attorney. My husband is a well known personal injury attorney who earns well over a million dollars a year. We have been married for six years, and have two children. I met my husband when I was working for his firm as a paralegal. We lived together for eight years before we married. I am 37 years old and he is 52. He had been married before, for 14 years and pays permanent alimony.
to permanent periodic alimony, or durational alimony for a set number of years. Therefore, it is not likely that a court could grant you any significant alimony.
The attorney advised me that I probably would not be able to get permanent alimony, even though my husband and I had been together 14 years. We live in a three million dollar house, which is mortgaged to the hilt, and I drive a leased Porsche. We have a forty foot fishing boat. We have no savings. I could not afford to continue to live the way we live now with out permanent alimony. Was the attorney correct?
You will be able to receive child support based on your husband’s income, although the court might include some projected income for you. He will probably have to supply the children with health insurance and may have to provide life insurance. If the children have been attending private school and summer camps, he might have to continue those extras as part of the children’s lifestyle.
A: A six year marriage is considered a short marriage under Florida law. A short term marriage does not give you the right to expect the same lifestyle after the marriage that you enjoyed during the marriage. Under Florida law living together prior to marriage does not turn a short term marriage into what the courts call a “gray area marriage,” which might entitle you
The attorney you consulted with has done an excellent job of giving you advice that was correct and realistic. It is better to begin the divorce process with realistic expectations than to have less experienced counsel build up false hopes which can never be achieved.
You are a young woman, who has had experience as a paralegal. A court might give you some “bridge the gap” short term support or, perhaps, a little longer term of rehabilitative alimony, to enable you to bring your skills up to speed and obtain employment.
Your lifestyle will not be gone today but it will probably be gone tomorrow.
Michael H. Gora has been certified by the Board of Education and Specialization of The Florida Bar as a specialist in family and matrimonial law and is a partner with Shapiro Blasi Wasserman & Gora P.A. in Boca Raton. Mr. Gora can be reached at mhgora@sbwlawfirm.com.
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May 17, through May 23, 2013