Family law cases don’t unfold on a schedule that’s convenient for anyone. A spouse files for divorce on a Tuesday. A child support order stops being workable after a job loss. A domestic violence situation escalates before anyone has had a chance to get proper legal advice. When these issues land on families in Miami-Dade County, the family law attorney in Miami retained in the first week often shapes the outcome in the final order.
Attorneys at Law Joseph M. Corey, Jr. P.A. has been representing clients across South Florida for over 40 years. The law office handles the full range of areas of family law, from contested divorce to paternity, child support enforcement, alimony, relocation, domestic violence, adoption, and name changes.
What Makes Family Law in Florida Different
What Makes Family Law in Florida DifferentFlorida operates on its own set of rules when it comes to family law, and they don’t always work the way people expect. Unlike many other states, Florida does not automatically split marital assets evenly in half. Instead, Florida law applies equitable distribution, meaning a judge looks at each spouse’s contributions, the surrounding circumstances, and what is deemed fair. Asset division is not necessarily a 50/50 split of the marital estate. With respect to custody, family court judges focus primarily on what is in the best interests of the child. Relevant factors include each parent’s willingness to facilitate a close relationship with the child and the other parent, the child’s school and community ties, and how stable each household is.
Miami is a unique environment. The community includes many residents who live in other countries and hold assets abroad, and people speak different languages. Miami-Dade family court handles one of the heaviest caseloads in the state. A legal matter that would be clear-cut in other cities can become a complex family law matter here very quickly.
Divorce Cases: Contested and Uncontested
Not all Miami divorce cases go before a judge. Uncontested divorces are cases where both spouses reach an agreement on most or all matters in dispute and therefore don’t require much in the way of formal court proceedings. In contested divorces, there is much more at stake. A complex divorce involving significant assets or business interests, or a disagreement as to who will raise the child(ren), will require litigation to adjudicate each matter.
Joseph M. Corey, Jr. and his team of associate and of-counsel family attorneys handle divorce cases, contested or not, in Miami-Dade, Broward, Monroe, and Palm Beach Counties. The firm’s experienced Miami family lawyers are prepared to handle family law litigation in court as needed, but they also have the knowledge and skills necessary to guide clients toward mediation when that is a more effective strategy for a particular case. With over 40 years of legal experience and the past 20 focused exclusively on family law, Joseph Corey advises clients on whether or not to litigate based on the specifics of each case.
Those who are just considering divorce may want to review the firm’s blog post about the five things to look for in choosing a divorce attorney before scheduling a free initial consultation.
Child Custody and Time-Sharing in Miami-Dade County
The word “custody” is rarely used in Florida family law statutes and case law anymore. Instead, Florida refers to time-sharing and parenting time within a parenting plan, either negotiated by the parties or imposed by a family court judge. Florida law presumes both parents are to be involved in raising the child, but that presumption can be overcome if there is evidence that a parent would present a danger to the child or children.
Corey’s family lawyers litigate time-sharing modification cases, relocation matters (which require a judge to make one of the toughest decisions that family lawyers in Miami and other South Florida counties deal with on a regular basis), as well as contempt of court cases in which one parent fails to comply with a court order. If the other parent refuses to comply with the time-sharing order, a contempt motion can be filed and the matter returned to the family court judge.
Child Support and Alimony: Enforcement and Modification
Child support in Florida is calculated based on the income shares model. The income of both parents is part of the equation. The formula factors in the number of overnights, the cost of health insurance, and childcare. The calculated amount serves as a guideline, but not a limit or an endpoint. If a deviation from the amount calculated using the guidelines is requested, the judge will have to be presented with an explanation for the variation. A modification may be necessary when circumstances change. Losing a job, landing a significantly better job, or a change in the child’s needs can all be reasons to revisit a child support obligation. The same modification framework applies to alimony, which can be revisited when a party’s income or circumstances shift materially. The child support lawyers at the firm work with people both enforcing and modifying child support enforcement orders and alimony orders in Miami-Dade County.
The firm also recently posted information for clients who are unsure how child support affects their tax returns, on the topic of child support and the child tax credit in 2025.
Domestic Violence Representation
Domestic violence cases cross into both civil and criminal law and move quickly. A client can seek and obtain an injunction for protection in a single day. The repercussions of losing a domestic violence case, including geographic restrictions and the surrender of firearms, start immediately and carry serious consequences.
The firm represents both victims and accused persons in domestic violence matters, on the civil and criminal sides alike. Whether you are seeking an injunction for protection, or you are being falsely accused and need to seek dismissal of a filed injunction, Joseph Corey and his staff take a calm, experienced, and compassionate approach to these often emotional cases.
Paternity and Unmarried Parents
Paternity and Unmarried ParentsIn Florida, paternity matters for reasons beyond what may appear to be self-evident. A father who has not had paternity legally established has no enforceable right to time-sharing, regardless of whether he has cared for the child since birth. A mother attempting to get child support from a child’s father to whom she is not married must also have paternity established in a court of law in order to receive that support.
The firm handles cases involving establishing and contesting paternity and the various consequences that follow, including time-sharing, child support, and parental responsibility. Establishing paternity and its associated consequences deserves no less attention than a divorce case, and arguably even more so when the parties were never legally married.
Post-Judgment Modifications and Enforcement
In family law, the conclusion often isn’t when the judge signs the final order. Life keeps going. Jobs change. Children grow and develop new needs. Parents relocate. A parenting plan that made sense five years ago may not fit the family anymore.
A good deal of Corey’s practice is post-judgment work, meaning modification and contempt proceedings. If there is an existing Florida divorce or child support order, or another parenting plan in place, there are specific rules and processes to follow when modifying it, and an experienced family law attorney can help guide clients through these issues.
Scheduling a Consultation with Miami Family Law Attorneys
As a trusted Miami family law firm, Attorneys at Law Joseph M. Corey, Jr. P.A. provides family law services with the personal attention each case deserves. The offices are located at 900 W. 49th Street, Suite 204, Hialeah, FL 33012, in the Bank of America Building. Walk-ins are welcome. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., with 24/7 telephone service at (305) 557-1750. The staff is fluent in English and Spanish, serving Spanish speakers throughout the region. Legal fees are reasonable, payment plans are available, and all major credit cards are accepted.
If you are facing a family law matter in Miami-Dade County or the surrounding areas, call (305) 557-1750 for a free consultation with an experienced Miami divorce attorney, or schedule one online today.