Jacksonville Divorce Lawyer Blog

February 25, 2010

Wife of Televangelist Benny Hinn Files for Divorce

Benny Hinn is a world famous televangelist and perhaps one of the best known “prosperity gospel” advocates on television. Prosperity Gospel leaders teach their followers that belief in God will be rewarded with material wealth. Hinn’s Pentecostal broadcasts are seen and heard by millions daily.

Recently his wife of thirty years, Suzanne Hinn, filed for divorce from her husband, citing irreconcilable differences. The court filing did not bring up finances, but Hinn’s ministry is believed to be a multi-million dollar operation. The couple reportedly own three homes in Southern California.

Hinn’s finances have already been under scrutiny by Iowa Republican Senator Charles Grassley of the Senate Banking Committee. Grassley is looking into whether or not Hinn and other wealthy televangelists have complied with non-profit tax rules. Hinn maintains that he is in complete compliance with IRS regulations and that eighty eight percent of the money he raises goes to church causes.

February 25, 2010

Evander Holyfield and Third Wife, Candi, Ask Dr. Phil to Help Them Avoid Divorce

By Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A.

Evander Holyfield was once the world heavyweight boxing champion. Now he is involved in another type of battle; this one is to save his third marriage from heading toward divorce. After a series of public foibles, Holyfield and his third wife, Candi, are scheduled to appear on the Dr. Phil show to discuss their faltering marriage.

In a statement, the couple said that they admired Dr. Phil’s “heartfelt approach” in helping couples in trouble. Dr. Phil is a former psychologist made famous by appearances on the Oprah Winfrey show. Several years ago Dr. Phil was awarded his own television talk show where he helps people deal with difficult times in their lives.

The Holyfield’s are expected to open up about their less-than-perfect private life, including how Holyfield struck his wife recently. Critics accuse Holyfield and his wife of seeking attention rather than real healing, and point out that an abusive relationship and a troubled marriage cannot be saved in a one hour television show.

February 25, 2010

Buying a New Home during Your Florida Divorce

By Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A.

When a couple divorces, one of the spouses generally needs to find a new place to live. Unfortunately, various legal issues can seriously complicate this already complicated financial transaction. So, when buying a home before your divorce is finalized, there are a few important considerations to keep in mind.

If the new home is purchased without marital assets, you should have nothing to worry about; but things can change quickly in a divorce, and if your divorce isn’t finalized yet, those non-marital assets you used to purchase the home may turn out to be considered marital assets at a later date. If you purchase a home with funds that are considered marital assets you may be required to sell the home to pay a claim to your ex-spouse.

The best thing to do, if you can’t wait to buy the home, is to consult with your attorney. A qualified Florida divorce attorney can help make sure that you get to keep your new home after the divorce. Your lawyer may be able to get a preliminary order allowing you to purchase the home even while the divorce is still pending, while preventing your ex-spouse from making a claim against the property.

February 22, 2010

Marital Credit Card Debt: Who Pays What In Florida?

By Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A.

Written by Keith L. Maynard

A common occurrence in Florida Divorce and in the current economic climate is the division of marital debt according to the principles of Florida Statute 61.075. It is not uncommon in this age for a married couple who is seeking a divorce to have more marital debt than assets. When this happens it is common for my clients to ask me who gets which debt. Florida law requires the Court to equitably distribute marital assets and liabilities. This does not mean that everything will be divided 50/50. It simply means that a Florida Court will do its best to leave both parties on common ground after the divorce.

If there is marital debt that is in both spouses’ names, a judge will usually divide the debt up between the spouses. For instance, if both parties have several credit cards in both of their names, for similar amounts, the Court may give the responsibility of paying two of the cards to the husband, and two of the cards to the wife. If the amount divided up is somewhat equal, then this sort of settlement is about as fair as it gets.

February 21, 2010

Jennifer Aniston Ready to Settle Down with Gerard Butler; Prenuptial Agreement in the Works

By Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A.

Superstars Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler are reportedly ready to move in together and settle down. According to sources close to Aniston, the former Friends star suggested to her new beau that the two move in together while contemplating a more permanent arrangement.

Aniston has been rather famously single since her marriage with Hollywood Heartthrob Brad Pitt ended nearly a decade ago. But she has told friends recently that she believes she needs a man in her life again. She has reportedly let Butler know that when he is ready for a commitment, she will say “yes.”

In the meantime, Aniston’s lawyers are said to be drawing up a prenuptial agreement to protect the actress’ fortunes. Friends of Aniston’s say that she wants the agreement so that she can be sure money will never be an issue between the couple. She feels that having the agreement in place will help things move more quickly once the two are ready for a larger commitment.

February 19, 2010

Higher Standards, Higher Costs Making International Adoption Tougher Than Ever

By Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A.

It wasn’t too long ago that Americans regularly sought foreign adoptions because they were easier and less costly than adopting an American child. But three of the most popular countries for foreign adoption are changing the rules, and making it harder for Americans to adopt oversees.

China, Russia and Guatamala have scaled back or even halted foreign adoptions as they try to improve their internal accountability, and at the same time these countries have made eligibility requirements stiffer than ever. China, for example, will deny an adoption based on a prospective parents’ body mass index (BMI).

The price has also risen to as much as $40,000, which is twice what it was just ten years ago. Industry insiders say that it has never been harder for Americans to adopt children from overseas. In fact, the number of children adopted internationally was cut in half in the five years between 2004 and 2009.

February 17, 2010

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie Sue Tabloid over Divorce Story, Attend Super Bowl in Miami, Florida Together

By Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A.

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News of the World, a British tabloid, recently ran a front page story purporting to describe all the details of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s divorce, including financial and child custody negotiations. The problem is that the Hollywood power couple claims they are not splitting up, and they have filed suit against the paper for making “false and intrusive allegations” about their relationship.

The LA divorce attorney reported by the News of the World to be involved in drawing up separation papers for the couple has made a statement denying any contact with the family by herself or any member of her firm.

According to lawyers for the family, News of the World has refused to retract their story or apologize for their content. Further, the stories have been widely republished, using the original story as source material. The paper has declined to comment about the lawsuit.

February 17, 2010

Rap Artist Flavor Flav Reported to Owe Thousands in Back Child Support

By Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A.

William Drayton Jr. is best known by his stage name, Flavor Flav. Recently, the 1980’s rap star from the group Public Enemy has made a big comeback by appearing on such reality TV shows as The Surreal Life, Strange Love, and Flavor of Love. But according to the Albany, New York Child Support Collection Division, Drayton owes back child support payments to Mary Parker, the mother of three of Drayton’s children.

Drayton will be required to appear in court to answer charges that he owes Ms. Parker over sixty three thousand dollars in back child support payments and private school tuition. The back child support payments are due to a judge increasing Drayton’s responsibility from just over one hundred dollars per week to over eight hundred dollars per week, and making the ruling retroactive to 2008, when Ms. Parker originally filed an amendment to the child support agreement.

Drayton plans to contest the charges, claiming that he has regularly paid Ms. Parker more than he was required to by the original agreement. Drayton’s recent success has prompted several other complaints from family members, including a daughter who said that he reneged on an offer to pay for her last semester in college. Karen Ross-Fortunate is the mother of three of Drayton’s other children, and has charged that he has not financially supported her children either. Drayton has seven children.

February 16, 2010

Broken Engagements and The Ring

By Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A.

This is a question that comes up fairly often…the engagement is off, the marriage ceremony is not going to happen and I want my ring back! Question is: Are you entitled to get it back? The answer: it depends. Normally, Florida views engagement rings in a contractual sense. The ring is given in contemplation of marriage and if the marriage does not occur then the ring should be returned. However, there have been many articles regarding the moral vs. legal obligation in reference to engagement rings. The moral argument has been that if the man has broken off the engagement then he should leave the engagement ring alone and allow the female to keep it. If the woman has broken off the engagement, she should return the ring. In sum, it appears that the ring should be returned, both morally and legally, if the marriage does not take place and especially if it is the woman who calls the whole thing off.

February 16, 2010

Memoir of a Divorced Father Helps Families Deal with Divorce

By Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A.

Studies have shown that fifty percent of children of divorce in Florida and nationwide have problems later in life that are related to their parents’ split. Author Tony Rassini has just released a new book, entitled “Dad, It’s Time to Tell the Truth!” Discover what happens when two parents hate each other more than they love their kids, which he wrote partly to help his son deal with the aftermath of his own “ugly” divorce.

The book is written as a memoir, and follows Rassini’s attempts to be a good father to his four children during and after his bitter divorce. He documents his interactions with lawyers, doctors, and the courts, and looks at how all of these interactions affected his children. In the end Rassini realized that the only thing he had to give his son was the truth.

Divorce is a difficult time for both adults and children. Being age-appropriately open and honest with all family members is the best way to smooth over hard feelings and ensure that all parties can get on with their lives without any lasting scars. Reading about Rassini’s journey can help others going through divorce realize that they are not alone. One of the most important factors in the divorce process is having a family law attorney who will advocate on your behalf while also knowing how to avoid needless litigation which ultimately costs you extensive amounts of money and possibly the respect of your family members.