To all my clients, opposing counsels, opposing paralegals/legal assistances, judges and judicial assistants, it was a pleasure serving the cause of justice and jurisprudence for you and with you respectively.  I am off to medical school in the beautiful island nation of Dominica (not the Dominican Republic).  I hope to take all of the things I have learned about myself and others and use it to help those in need in the field of medicine.  My direct number still will reach my voice mail box, and I will return any calls within 48 hours.  Do not hesitate to contact me if there is any problem, I didn't get off of your case correctly, etc. 

Divorce is always difficult.  It is chaotic both emotionally and financially.  But, as the phoenix is reborn from the ashes, it is possible to use divorce as a time to reinvent yourself, go back to school, and become a more fulfilled person.  I pride myself on running a practice that addresses the whole person.  If you felt stuck in your marriage maybe it was because you never had time to go to school because of your responsibilities at home?  

We advise all of our clients in the sometimes complicated world of getting your life back together again.  Our representation doesn't end with a final judgment, it ends when our clients have reached their goals in life.  If you are thinking of getting divorced, and have questions about what do I do and do I get there, call us to schedule a consultation.

This post comes from the PSA department.  If you are thinking about speaking with the Police here is a video that should give you pause.

Today's post comes from the Don't Panic Department.  Family Law is governed by some fairly strict statutory guidelines.  They generally prescribe what should be done in certain cases.  One of the most strict areas are with regards to Parenting Time and the Modification of the Parenting Schedule.  There is, however, always the human element involved.  As with all cases with human involvement, there is always the desire to get things done by the path of least resistance. 

Just because a hearing is not won does not mean you cannot achieve your goals in a case. Persevering along a particular course can involve many avenues.  If you handled your hearing by yourself without any advice of an attorney, time may be of the essence.  We offer self-help advice for only the cost of a $50 consultation fee.  We are here to empower Florida's citizens to properly and professionally handle their family law issues.  Call to schedule a consultation today.

The legislature has spoken and the laws have changed.  That's right there are significant changes that have occurred in several areas of Family Law statutes in Florida.  Not to be outdone we are working on a summary of the changes in the new laws, which become effective throughout the year with the first round becoming the law of the State on the first of this month.  The real big question is how will they effect you.  Stay tuned for a nifty presentation to show you the basics....

Today's post comes to you from the Common Sense Department.  We all love social networking.  It is a great way to keep in contact with friends, find folks that we may have not seen for ages, and waste significant time at work.  However, did you know that law enforcement and opposing council love Facebook, MySpace, etc. for another reason altogether.  Apparently people love to post information on these pages that may not always paint them in a great light.

Here is an incomplete list of things you should never post, comment, imply or elaborate about on social networking sites:

• Drugs - No matter how commonplace drug use may be in your group of friends, it is generally illegal.  While it may seem like commonsense, people love to show off drug related activity.  So when your soon to be ex-wife accuses you of smoking marijuana all the time to limit your parenting time with your children, having a picture of you smoking a "bong" with your friends freely available does not help.
• Fire-arms - If you have a Domestic Violence Injunction case that is pending or has been finalized that prohibits you from being in possession or control of a fire-arm, don't post pictures of yourself at the range.  It turns out when you violate that statute it is a Misdemeanor.
• Fraud - Don't post statements that implicate you committing acts of fraud, especially in relation to your divorce or child support case.  Generally, that puts you in contempt of court, and making judges angry lands you in jail and makes your attorney's job difficult.

That list is probably the big ones, but there are many other things that can pop up.  Remember, social networking sites are like yelling in front of the Police Department. If you don't want people that can get you in trouble to know you should not post it

Have you lost a job or received a pay-cut? Have you been reassigned to a different division in your workplace, or had your hours cut back?  In these uncertain times, you can't always count on having the same income you did when your Final Order Regarding Child Support was entered.  The law doesn't make you a slave in these situations, there are ways that you may be able to modify your child support obligation without breaking the bank.

Under Florida Law, child support may be modified if certain changes in your circumstances rise to a level that make them significant.  While this standard is a term of art, the Florida Statutes are fairly clear on these points.  If you need help to understand your rights, duties, and are interested in modifying your child support obligations call us today.

So, you've decided to go it alone, and represent yourself in your family law matter.  What now?  This is the question hundreds of people ask themselves each day in Florida.  What do I do next? What forms do I fill out?  How do I file things?  Am I supposed to send copies of stuff to the judge in my case?  Is there even a judge in my case?  The answers are not always so clear.  Here are a few quick web references to get you started:

• The 12 Circuit (Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto counties) where I practice primarily, the 12 Circuit court has quite a few self help resources available here. Also Form Packets can be found here.
• The Florida Supreme court has also approved forms that can be found here.

Pay very special attention to the instructions on the forms.  If you have any questions, remember we have a Self-Help/Do-it-Yourself Review available that covers most family law matters.  It is affordable, at only Fifty Dollars, you can have as much time as you need to speak with me about your case.  In certain situations, you may even be entitled to have your attorney's fees and costs provided for by the opposing party. We will be adding a basic family law procedure FAQ to help you along in the process as well.  We believe in empowering our clients, and the general public to effectively navigate the court system to avoid delays and frustration.  If you have any questions give us a call.

We would like to personally wish everyone visiting our site a happy and safe Memorial Day weekend.  Memorial Day is a time to honor the men and women of our military that have made the ultimate sacrifice.  Our thoughts are with those that have passed and their families.  For those that wish to learn more about the holiday, this Wikipedia article does a very nice job.

On a more practical note, Law Enforcement is always out in force for this holiday.  Remember that cab ride is a helluva lot less expensive than a DUI, and a whole lot easier on the conscience than an alcohol related driving or boating fatality.  Have fun, designate a driver/boater, and do your best to avoid interaction with Law Enforcement.  You might be right, the officer may be wrong, but the ride to the county jail is free.

We will be doing almost daily updates to this site in an effort to make sure we are improving this resource as quickly as possible.  Soon we will have Book Reviews, an Informal Treatise on Family Law in the State of Florida, and detailed information about all of the legal services we offer.

Welcome to the the second version of the website for the law firm of Joseph A. Sochet, Esq. Thanks for stopping by. We hope that you can use this site as a resource in helping you. We are actively updating this site to include up to date information to help you make informed legal decisions.

Well the site you are viewing should be updated by the begining of next week. It should have our new look layout, which in my humble opinion is extremely more professional. Next I will be working on the client section, which should give clients isntant access to documents and client files, scheduling appointments, important court date information, and best of all it allows new clients to create basic client interviews for faster processing. I will also be posting extensive descriptions of the unbundled services we offer for folks that are doing a divorce or modifciation on their own. Our unbundled services empower our clients to set budgets for any Family Law litigation. Getting the legal services you need and none of the ones you don't or can do yourself is what makes my law firm different. So, I look forward to hearing critiques when the site comes out, and as always I look forward to serving you.

Welcome to the the preliminary website for the law firm of Joseph A. Sochet, Esq. Thanks for stopping by. We hope that you can use this site as a resource in helping you. We will be posting regular news bullitins here on our page.