Supreme Court Amends the Rules Regulating the Florida Bar to accommodate the Collaborative Law Process

On May 18, 2017, the Florida Supreme Court issued an opinion amending the Rules Regulating the Florida Bar effective July 1, 2017 to accommodate the collaborative law process.  Click on the link below to read the Florida Supreme Court opinion.  Collaborative law is an alternative dispute resolution process which normally costs less time, money, and stress and affords participants increased opportunities to creatively resolve their differences.  Click here to read more about collaborative law.  Although the attorneys of Sessums Black continue to practice and are experienced in traditional litigation, they recognize the benefits, both financial and emotional, of not going to court.

Read The Supreme Court Opinion

Read More about Collaborative Law

Florida adopts new Collaborative Law

On March 24, 2016, Governor Rick Scott signed House Bill 967 titled “Collaborative Law Process Act” into law, making Florida the 14th state to offer Collaborative Divorce as an alternative to traditional litigation.  Collaborative Divorce is a method of reaching a resolution through cooperative strategies rather than adversarial techniques and court proceedings.  Although the attorneys at Sessums Black PA continue to practice and are experienced in the traditional litigation-based dissolution of marriage, they are also trained and experienced in handling matters through Collaborative Law. Florida’s new Collaborative Law Process Act and more about Collaborative Divorce are available by clicking the links below.

Collaborative Law Process Act (HB 967)

Collaborative Divorce

Florida Supreme Court Administrative Order re Parenting Coordination

On November 14, 2014, the Florida Supreme Court issued an Administrative Order modifying procedural and registration requirements for Parenting Coordinators and court circuits throughout the State of Florida regarding the parenting coordination qualification process.  Click on the link below to read the administrative order.  The attorneys of Sessums Black, PA pride themselves on staying current on changes in law and procedures which may affect their clients.  For more on parenting coordination, click here.

Administrative Order SC14-64

Alternative Dispute Resolution in Family Law

Resolving the legal aspects of family situations does not have to be a painful process.  Two alternatives to the traditional practice of seeking a court-dictated resolution are mediation and the collaborative process.  Mediation employs a neutral third party to assist in settlement negotiations.  In the collaborative process, each party selects his/her own attorney and there are shared financial and mental health experts working together towards a non-adversarial settlement.   For more information on mediation and the collaborative process, please click on the links below from the 13th Judicial Circuit of Hillsborough County and the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals.   All of the attorneys at Sessums Black, PA have experience using mediation to reach amicable resolutions.   Caroline Black completed advanced training in alternative dispute resolution and are members of the local and national chapters of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals and the Collaborative Divorce Lawyers of Tampa Bay.

Read More – Family Mediation

Read More – Collaborative Practice