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Our consultations are 30 minutes with a fee of $200. If you are to retain the attorney the same day your initial consultation fee is waived.  

Corporations | Business Law | Family Law | Litigation | Personal Injury

• Family Law - Divorce, Child Custody, and Paternity may be some of the most complicated issues you face in your life.  Whether or not you realize, the choices you make now and in the coming months may shape the next decade of your life.  It’s critically important you have a qualified and experienced family law attorney to help you through the process.  I have been a family law attorney for more than 30 years.   I treat my clients with the integrity, respect and the dignity they deserve. I provide pragmatic advice that is based on my decades of experience. 

• Child Custody - Determining child custody can often be the most emotional and difficult process of a divorce.  When parents cannot mutually agree on who should have child custody then a court often has to intervene.  The court will award custody in the best interest of the child as they see fit. It is vital that you have an experienced child custody attorney represent you and fight for your rights.  Kevin J. D’Espies is an experienced child custody lawyer in Florida and can help guide you about the law and what the court is looking for. With proper preparation, Kevin will help you get the results that are best for you and your child. D'Espies Law P.A. practices in emergency custody along with temporary custody. D'Espies Law P.A. also specializes in child support mediation.

• Child Support Mediation- is a legal process to resolve child support issues without involving the courts.  Court litigation is generally a much more expensive and timelier process.  Mediation is designed to allow parents to mutually negotiate child support through the help of a mediator and the attorneys representing each parent. It is important that you have a great child support attorney on your side when you negotiate for child support.  Kevin J. D’Espies is an experienced child support attorney who has represented clients through dozens of mediations.  He is able and ready to help you with your particular situation.

• Custody Modification - Generally a court will not want to alter a child custody agreement that has been working for all parties.  However, certain circumstances may be prudent for a custody modification, these include:

1. Relocation of a parent
2. Danger to the child including domestic abuse
3. Non-cooperation of a parent to current agreement
4. Death of a parent

• Temporary Custody - Temporary custody is often determined during a separation or prior to the divorce.  If a court makes this decision, it will always be in the best interest of the child. Often times temporary custody orders have a significant impact on final custody orders. A parent who is not granted temporary custody is usually afforded generous visitation rights. The court takes the position that maintaining a relationship with both parents serves the child’s best interests. Parents may also choose to execute a temporary child custody agreement if they decide to grant temporary child custody to another person. There can many reasons why a parent may decide to grant temporary custody of their child to another person including illness, financial duress, temporary job relocation, and more.

• Emergency Custody - When there is a threat of harm to a child it is often necessary to seek emergency custody.  Family law courts take emergency custody hearings very seriously.  Circumstances that can lead to emergency custody include domestic violence or child abuse.   Kevin J. D’Espies is an excellent family law attorney specializing in child custody including emergency custody hearings.  He has experience representing both sides of a child emergency custody hearing and can help you with your situation. 

• Child Support Rights -  D’Espies Law P.A. is dedicated to protecting a parent’s legal rights.  We focus on the needs of the parent facing difficult family law matters such as divorce, child support, time-sharing, and domestic violence charges.   If you are seeking the custody of your children don’t dismiss the idea that you have no chance.  Courts today are working with parents so that they have an equal share of parental responsibilities.  Kevin J. D’Espies is a family attorney who wants to insure your equal rights in custody, child support, time-sharing, and other family law situations. 

• Parental Custody Rights - At D’Espies Law P.A., we believe that both parents should have rights when it comes to the best interest of their children.  In this day and time, the court works to keep both parents involved in the shared parenting of the children.  There are often circumstances where either the father or the mother may be the best choice for primary custodian of the children.   If you are a parent seeking primary custody of your children, it is vital that you have an experienced attorney who is an advocate for the best interest of the children. 

• Paternity -   Paternity is a legal action that identifies a child’s biological father. Fathers usually file paternity actions to establish a legal parent-child relationship or to obtain visitation rights with the child. Most mothers file paternity actions to establish and obtain child support from the child’s father.

• Divorce - Marriage termination is always a difficult process.  Hard decisions will have to be made about how to divide property and spousal support if applicable.  If there are children involved then both parties will have come to agreement on custody, visitation, and support. If you or your spouse contests the divorce it can be an emotionally draining process that may only be solved through court or mediation. It is vitally important that you have the help of an excellent divorce attorney who can fight for your rights while also trying to amicably resolve issues that remain with your spouse. 

• Contested Divorce -  A contested divorce occurs when you or your spouse does not want a divorce or is contesting the terms of the divorce. If you, or your spouse, contest the divorce prepare for a long possibly very emotional process. An expert divorce attorney can help clear issues that remain and shorten the process as well as lighten the mental load of a contested divorce. Sometimes even with the help of a great divorce attorney issues can remain unresolved.  In such cases the divorce may lead to mediation or court involvement. 

• Uncontested Divorce  - In an uncontested divorce the married couple is able to come to an agreement on division of property, child support, spousal support and all other financial issues. Securing an uncontested divorce is much less expensive and time-consuming than reaching the terms of divorce through litigation or even mediation. It can also be much less stressing.   Furthermore, divorcing couples know their situations better than a court ever could — this means they are in the best position to make essential decisions regarding property division, child custody, child support and alimony.  In many cases, spouses will have an ongoing relationship even after the divorce and an uncontested divorce provides a stronger foundation for future interactions than divorce litigation. 

•  Military Divorce  -  The process for a military couple to divorce is different than a standard family law case.   While typically the state of residency has full jurisdiction over how a divorce is handled, in the case of military divorce the federal government has enacted legislation that applies to divorces involving military personal.  Federal law dictates when a military divorce can occur, under what circumstances it may be postponed, and how an active member of the military may be served.   In addition, Florida law provides unique residency requirements for military families.  Kevin J. D’Espies is well versed in the unique challenges a military divorce presents and is ready to help you.

• Spousal Support Modification -  There can be many reasons why a court may approve the modification or complete termination of spousal support. When a person’s ability to pay spousal support has been comprised it is possible to seek  modification. When it can be established that the person receiving spousal support no longer needs the support then a modification might be granted.