The Heather Harris Law Blog

Plain-English answers about Florida family law, mediation, guardians ad litem and criminal defense from a Merritt Island law firm serving Brevard County.

• What Is Family Mediation, and How Does It Work in Florida? — How family mediation works in Florida, step by step: what gets decided, how it compares to court, and what happens next. Heather Harris Law, Merritt Island.
• What to Do Before You File for Divorce in Florida — The weeks before you file shape the whole case. Here is what to gather, what to avoid and what to decide before a Florida divorce begins.
• How Divorce Works in Florida: A Step-by-Step Overview — From the petition to the final judgment, here is how a Florida divorce moves through the court, and where most cases are actually decided.
• Uncontested vs. Contested Divorce in Florida — Whether spouses agree or disagree changes the cost, timeline and stress of a Florida divorce. Here is how each path works and how cases move between them.
• How Long Does a Divorce Take in Florida? — Florida sets a 20-day minimum, but most divorces take longer. Here is what drives the timeline and how to keep yours moving.
• How Marital Property Is Divided in a Florida Divorce — Florida divides marital property equitably, starting from a 50/50 split. Here is what counts as marital, what stays separate and how courts decide.
• Divorce and the Family Home: Keep It, Sell It or Buy Out? — The house is often the largest asset and the hardest decision in a Florida divorce. Here is how each option works and what to weigh before choosing.
• Gray Divorce: Divorcing After 50 in Florida — Divorce later in life puts retirement, health insurance and Social Security at the center. Here is what changes for Floridians divorcing after 50.
• Military Divorce on the Space Coast: What Service Members Should Know — Divorces involving service members follow Florida law plus federal rules on retirement pay, deployment and benefits. Here is what Space Coast military families should know.
• Alimony in Florida After the 2023 Reform — Florida rewrote its alimony law in 2023, ending permanent alimony and setting new limits. Here is how support works now.
• Time-Sharing and Parenting Plans in Florida, Explained — Florida replaced "custody" with time-sharing and parenting plans. Here is what a parenting plan covers and how courts decide what is in a child's best interests.
• Florida's Equal Time-Sharing Presumption: What Parents Should Know — Since 2023, Florida presumes equal time-sharing is best for children. Here is what that presumption means, and how a parent can rebut it.
• Can a Parent Relocate With a Child in Florida? — Moving more than 50 miles with a child in Florida usually requires agreement or court approval. Here is how the relocation statute works.
• Protecting Your Children During a Divorce — Children notice everything during a divorce. Here are practical ways Florida parents can protect them from conflict, and why it also helps your case.
• Do Grandparents Have Visitation Rights in Florida? — Florida strongly protects parents' decisions, so grandparent visitation is very limited. Here is when grandparents can ask a court for time, and other options.
• How Florida Calculates Child Support — Florida child support follows statutory guidelines based on both parents' incomes and the number of overnights. Here is how the math works.
• Modifying Child Support or Time-Sharing After Divorce — Life changes after a Florida divorce. Here is what it takes to modify child support or a parenting plan, and what does not qualify.
• Paternity in Florida: Establishing Your Rights as a Father — In Florida, an unmarried father has no court-ordered rights until paternity is established and a parenting plan is entered. Here is how to get there.
• Domestic Violence Injunctions in Florida: How They Work and How to Respond — Whether you need protection or have been served with an injunction, here is how Florida domestic violence injunctions work, step by step.
• Prenuptial Agreements in Florida: What They Can and Can't Do — A Florida prenup can protect property and set expectations about alimony, but it has limits. Here is what a prenuptial agreement can cover and what makes one enforceable.
• Postnuptial Agreements in Florida: When and Why Couples Use Them — A postnuptial agreement lets married couples define property and support rights after the wedding. Here is when they make sense and what makes them hold up.
• Is Mediation Required in a Florida Divorce? — Most Florida family courts require mediation before a contested hearing. Here is when it is required, the exceptions, and what happens if you skip it.
• What Does a Family Mediator Do, and What Don't They Do? — A family mediator guides negotiations but never takes sides or decides. Here is what to expect from the mediator, and where your own lawyer fits in.
• Is What You Say in Mediation Confidential in Florida? — Florida law protects most mediation communications, but not all. Here is what stays confidential, the exceptions, and what it means for your negotiation.
• Who Pays for Mediation in a Florida Divorce? — Mediation costs are usually shared, and lower-income families may qualify for reduced-fee court programs. Here is how payment typically works in Florida.
• How to Prepare for Your Divorce Mediation — Preparation decides most mediations. Here is a practical checklist for documents, priorities and mindset before your Florida divorce mediation.
• Mediation vs. Litigation: Cost, Time and Control — Mediation and litigation can resolve the same family law issues in very different ways. Here is how they compare on cost, time, privacy and control in Florida.
• Mediating a Parenting Plan: Putting the Children First — A parenting plan built at mediation can fit your family far better than one imposed by a court. Here is how to approach it, and what to include.
• Mediating Property and Debt Division in a Divorce — Mediation lets spouses divide property and debt creatively, trading assets rather than splitting each one. Here is how to approach the money side of mediation.
• Mediating Child Support and Time-Sharing Modifications — When life changes after divorce, mediation is often the fastest way to update a parenting plan or support order. Here is how modification mediation works in Florida.
• Mediation for Unmarried Parents — Unmarried parents in Florida need a court-ordered parenting plan to have enforceable rights. Mediation is often the easiest way to build one.
• Can You Mediate When There Is a History of Domestic Violence? — Florida law limits court-ordered mediation where domestic violence would compromise the process. Here is when mediation is excused, and how it can be made safer.
• What Happens If Mediation Doesn't Reach an Agreement? — An impasse at mediation is not the end of the road. Here is what happens next in a Florida family case, and why partial agreements still matter.
• What Happens to a Mediated Agreement After You Sign It? — A signed mediated agreement is binding and very hard to undo. Here is how it becomes a court order in Florida, and what to check before you sign.
• What Is a Guardian Ad Litem in Florida? — A guardian ad litem represents a child's best interests in a Florida court case. Here is who they are, when they're involved and what they do.
• When Does a Florida Court Appoint a Guardian Ad Litem? — Florida courts appoint guardians ad litem in dependency cases and in family cases where a child needs an independent voice. Here is when, and why.
• Can You Request a Guardian Ad Litem in Your Divorce? — Either parent can ask a Florida court to appoint a guardian ad litem. Here is when a request makes sense, how to make it, and what to weigh first.
• Who Pays for a Guardian Ad Litem in Florida? — GAL costs depend on the type of case and who serves as the guardian. Here is how payment generally works in Florida dependency and family cases.
• What Does a Guardian Ad Litem Do in a Custody Case? — A guardian ad litem investigates, interviews and reports to the court. Here is a step-by-step look at what a GAL does in a Florida time-sharing case.
• How to Prepare for a Guardian Ad Litem Home Visit — The home visit is one of the most important parts of a GAL investigation. Here is how to prepare your home, your child and yourself.
• What a Guardian Ad Litem Looks for When Evaluating a Family — GAL recommendations are built around the child's best interests. Here are the factors a guardian ad litem typically focuses on in a Florida family case.
• Talking to Your Children About a Guardian Ad Litem — Children may feel anxious about meeting a guardian ad litem. Here is how to explain the GAL's role in an age-appropriate way, without coaching.
• How a Guardian Ad Litem's Recommendations Affect Custody Decisions — Judges often give a GAL's recommendations significant weight, but they are not binding. Here is how recommendations are used and how parents can respond.
• Guardian Ad Litem in Dependency Cases vs. Family Court Cases — A guardian ad litem plays a similar role in dependency and family court, but the cases are very different. Here is how they compare in Florida.
• What a Former Prosecutor Sees in Your Case That Others Miss — Heather Harris spent thirteen years as an Assistant State Attorney. Here is how a prosecutor's eye changes the way a criminal defense case is read, built and negotiated.
• What Happens in the First 10 Days After a DUI Arrest in Florida — After a Florida DUI arrest, you have only 10 days to act on your driver's license. Here is what happens in that window, and the decisions you need to make.
• What Happens After a Domestic Violence Arrest in Florida — A domestic violence arrest in Florida moves quickly: first appearance, no-contact orders and decisions by the State. Here is what to expect.
• A Loved One Was Arrested in Brevard County: First Steps for Families — When someone you love is arrested in Brevard County, the first hours are confusing. Here is how to find them, what happens at first appearance, and how to help.
• The Police Want to Talk to You. What Should You Do? — A call or knock from an investigator can feel like a chance to clear things up. Here is why talking first and asking questions later is risky, and what to do instead.
• Can You Seal or Expunge a Criminal Record in Florida? — Florida lets eligible people seal or expunge certain criminal records. Here is the difference between the two, who qualifies and how the process works.