At the Law Office of Laura A. Olson, P.A., we take on the cases where we know we can serve your needs well and get the results you will be happy with. Our office excels in a wide range of family law, divorce and civil litigation matters. We offer the small firm advantage of one-on-one personal service with your attorney. We are always here for you when you need us; you and your case won’t get lost in the shuffle.
Tampa divorce attorney Laura A. Olson is a South Tampa native with 25 years of experience serving the people of Florida in family law, divorce and other civil matters. Laura is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell, which means her peers in the legal profession value her as a top-related lawyer in the areas of legal ability and professional ethics. Family law matters and civil disputes create stressful situations with a lot at stake. Trust your case to an experienced, capable attorney who will dedicate herself to achieving outstanding results on your behalf. Call on The Law Office of Laura A. Olson, P.A., for your Tampa legal needs.
Divorce and Family Law
When we represent you in your divorce, we go to great lengths to make sure you are well-represented in all aspects of the divorce relevant to your situation, including child custody, child support, alimony and property division. The decisions made in a divorce will continue to impact you and your family for years to come. We work to protect your rights and promote your interests from the start, whether negotiating a marital settlement agreement or litigating your divorce in court. Tampa divorce lawyer Laura A. Olson takes on a wide variety of Florida divorce cases, include high asset and high net worth cases, same-sex divorce, collaborative divorce, military divorce and uncontested divorce. We also represent parties needing help after a divorce with modification of a final judgment, child relocation, or enforcement of court orders and contempt charges.
Our comprehensive family law practice includes other matters as well, such as the enforcement of prenuptial agreements (or challenges to their enforcement), paternity proceedings and allegations of domestic violence. These matters have serious, long-lasting consequences for the people involved, and we strive to make sure you are well-served in any Tampa divorce or family law proceeding.
What should I expect in the Florida divorce process?
Every divorce is different and will address the issues that are specific and relevant to your case, but divorce cases generally follow the same pattern or procedure. You can expect your divorce to proceed through the following stages:
Filing – Either spouse can initiate the divorce by filing a petition for dissolution of marriage with the circuit court in the county where the spouses last lived together or where either one currently resides. The filing spouse needs to show that at least one spouse has been a resident of Florida for at least six months, that a marriage exists, and that the marriage has suffered an irretrievable breakdown. Florida has no-fault divorce, so the filing spouse does not have to prove the other spouse was at-fault or to blame in causing the breakdown of the marriage. Issues of fault may be relevant to other aspects of the divorce, however, including alimony, child custody and the division of property.
Once the petition has been served on the other spouse, that spouse has 20 days to file an answer to the issues raised in the petition and possibly file a counter-petition to raise additional issues.
Disclosures – The court will require each spouse to give the other a financial affidavit and accompanying financial documents. These disclosures typically happen within 45 days after the initial petition has been served or a few days before a temporary hearing is scheduled. If a party fails to make the required disclosures, the court might dismiss the case or refuse to consider any requests of that party regarding financial matters. The parties must also complete and file a child support guidelines worksheet if child support is to be decided in the divorce.
Agreement or Trial – If the spouses can agree on how to resolve the issues in their divorce, such as the division of property, payment of alimony, child custody and child support, they can draft and sign an agreement and submit it to the court. The judge will review it and, if approved, incorporate the agreement into the final judgment of divorce. If the parties cannot agree, the judge may order mediation or schedule a hearing on the contested issues. At a hearing or trial, the parties, through their attorneys, submit evidence, question witnesses and make legal arguments on how the court should rule. The judge will make a final ruling on these issues when granting the divorce.
Personal Injury
We take on a wide range of Tampa personal injury claims, including car accidents, motorcycle accidents, premises liability claims, slip and fall injuries, dog bites, and more. Our goal is to see that you get the medical care you need and the compensation you deserve after another party’s negligence harms you. The burden is on you to prove your case, and the insurance company lawyers on the other side try many ways to avoid liability or pay as little as possible. We’ll help you get a fair amount of compensation, and we won’t charge any fees if we can’t recover for you.
Civil Litigation
As an experienced trial and appellate lawyer, attorney Laura A. Olson is prepared to advocate on your behalf in any civil matter. We represent plaintiffs and defendants in breach of contract disputes, business torts, commercial landlord/tenant disputes, construction defect claims, shareholder disputes, breach of fiduciary duty claims, and more. We take the time to discuss your situation, explain the pros and cons of litigation, and pursue your matter passionately and professionally to resolve your dispute favorably.
Contact Our Experienced Tampa Divorce Attorneys Today
Our office is conveniently located in downtown Tampa, just minutes from the Hillsborough County courthouse. We are open daily throughout the week and maintain flexible schedules for weekend or evening meetings by appointment. Our Tampa divorce attorneys offer a free 30-minute initial consultation over the phone and a variety of fee structures to meet your needs, including hourly rates and flat rates, as well as contingency fees in appropriate cases. Under a contingency fee arrangement, we advance the costs of litigation and only accept a fee if we are successful in recovering money damages for you in your personal injury or other civil litigation. Call the Law Office of Laura A. Olson, P.A., at 813-222-0888, and let’s talk about how we can help you with your Tampa family law, divorce or civil litigation needs.
