Here at Mackey Law Group, our lawyers don’t just say we handle complex litigation, we do it all the time and we win!  

Although it may seem as though a biological father and a legal father are one in the same, that is not always the case.  Believe it or not there is a distinction between a biological father and a legal father, and the distinction can have financial consequences.

A common misconception in paternity cases is that if the Father’s name appears on the birth certificate of a minor child, that automatically means he is legally the Father and is entitled and/or accountable for all the rights, responsibilities, and privileges relating to that minor child without further action.  However, that is not the case when a child is born out of wedlock.

Nowadays, most lawyers/law-firms have glitzy websites and espouse that their lawyers are “trial lawyers” and represent that their lawyers have great winning loss  records. In many instances, nothing could be further from the truth.

Many non-U.S. citizens are hesitant to leave a spouse out of fear of the U.S. court system or concern for their residency status. You may be surprised to learn you don’t need to be a U.S. citizen to get divorced in the United States. Non-U.S. citizens are afforded the same resources and rights in divorce proceedings as U.S. citizens, including the ability to file for divorce and have an attorney represent them. However, a common question is how a divorce will affect their legal residency status.

Here at Mackey Law Group P.A., we understand the importance of communicating directly with our clients. This is why we offer legal services in Spanish as well as English. If you are in need of an attorney who speaks Spanish I, Jorge Martinez, will assist you personally. No one should have to settle for an attorney they are unable to communicate with.

If you are a landlord and a tenant has violated his lease; but, refuses to leave, you want them removed as quickly as possible to restart positive cash flow. This is an issue that unfortunately many landlords face, and unless the landlord is well-versed with the Landlord Tenant Act, it can be a bigger problem than anticipated.

This post focuses on the protection provided to spouses and minor children and applies to homes resided in as primary residences in Florida. As to spouses, even if the homestead property is titled in only one spouse’s name, that spouse cannot sell the property without the other spouse signing, or “joining in” on, the deed.

Typically, in Florida divorce proceedings, the assets and liabilities owned by the Husband and Wife are subject to being either split via an agreement or by the Judge. However, what happens in a divorce when one of the parties owns a business to the exclusion of the other spouse, has an interest in a business, or the parties own a business together—does the business count as an asset?

Florida follows the “Reasonable Use Doctrine”. It states that a land owner may alter his land, even if it changes or increases the flow of surface water, so long as it is reasonable.

A pre-existing injury is defined as an injury that was incurred prior to an auto-accident or some other incident that causes a subsequent injury.  The result of the accident can either cause further damage to the pre-existing injury or create a new injury altogether.  So, what does this mean if you are in an automobile accident, get hurt, but have a pre-existing injury?

Buying a home is for many, one of the most expensive purchases a family will ever make. Thankfully, many have friends and family who are willing to help finance this first purchase, usually for the down payment on the home. These types of funds are called “gift funds” and are not intended to be repaid. Gift funds allow young families the opportunity to purchase a home with the help of their family or in-laws.

You do not have to feel trapped in a marriage. The court has the power to award temporary funds to the non-breadwinner spouse so that she is able to both support herself and pay for a good lawyer; she must be litigating on a level playing field.

Florida provides broad protection for homeowners via its homestead exemption laws.  There are three general types of homestead exemptions under Florida law

“Show me the money!” When a lawyer evaluates a personal injury case for an injured client a point of emphasis is always where the money will come from to compensate the injured party. 

Never back down to bullies. Stand up for yourself when you are in the right. And, when necessary, hire the very best lawyers you know. Justice will prevail.

When facing divorce, many parents assume the mother will automatically be awarded custody of the children with the father getting limited visitation. Florida courts have done away with this presumption and will now divide time between parents in the child’s best interest.

There is a common misconception that if one spouse moves out of the marital home prior to or during a divorce proceeding that they have “abandoned” the home and are no longer entitled to any of its value in the divorce.  In Florida family law courts this simply is not the case.

Hiring an attorney to guide the probate process is essential. In fact, an attorney can handle most aspects of the probate process, allowing the personal representative (usually you), to focus on other important things.

When selecting a trial attorney, you should be hyper-critical. This is a do or die choice for you when faced with a financially high-stakes situation.