Smith Family Law Firm Blog

Congratulations to Longwood family law attorney Roy J. Smith, IV, Esq., for his selection to Florida Super Lawyers 2024.

Congratulations to Longwood family law attorney Roy J. Smith, IV, Esq., for his selection to Florida Super Lawyers 2024. This marks the 15th consecutive year Roy has been a selectee of Florida Super Lawyers. The rating system for Super Lawyers combines peer nominations, peer evaluations, and independent research evaluations broken down by practice area. No more than 5% of the attorneys in Florida are selected for the Super Lawyers list each year.

Lisa A.G. Smith & Roy J. Smith, IV Included In Orlando Style Magazine's "Men & Women of 2023"

The Smith Family Law Firm is comprised of the AV-Rated husband and wife team of Roy and Lisa Smith, who have both been practicing law in Central Florida since 2000. The two met while on Law Review at the University of Florida College of Law. They were married in 1999 and settled in Seminole County, Florida, where they have three children ranging in age from 21 to 15. After working separately for different law firms, they opened their own firm in 2010. Their Longwood-based law firm focuses on representing individuals in all matters relating to family, marriage, and children. Roy and Lisa Smith have been included in Orlando Style Magzine's "Men & Women of 2023."

New Florida Alimony Laws

The new law applies to cases filed OR pending on or after July 1, 2023. It eliminates permanent alimony, shifts the definition of short-term, moderate-term, and long-term marriages, and provides guidance as to amount for durational alimony awards). While there are some points in the law that lend themselves to future litigation and questions of application, for purposes of ease of use it might be best to provide a bullet point explanation of alimony for each of the length of marriages as follows (keep in mind length of marriage is date of marriage until date of filing for dissolution of marriage):

1. Bridge the Gap Alimony:(may not exceed 2 years in duration and not modifiable in amount or duration)
2. Rehabilitative Alimony:(may not exceed 5 years in duration)
3. Durational Alimony: (not available for marriages lasting less than 3 years)
4. . Duration is limited to 50% of length of marriage
5. . Amount of alimony is capped at the need of the receiving party or 35% of the difference between the parties net incomes (whichever is less).

1. Bridge the Gap Alimony:(may not exceed 2 years in duration and not modifiable in amount or duration)
2. Rehabilitative Alimony: (may not exceed 5 years in duration)
3. Durational Alimony:
4. .Duration is limited to 60% of length of marriage
5. . Amount of alimony is capped at the need of the receiving party or 35% of the difference between the parties net incomes (whichever is less).

1. Bridge the Gap Alimony: (may not exceed 2 years in duration and not modifiable in amount or duration)
2. Rehabilitative Alimony: (may not exceed 5 years in duration)
3. Durational Alimony:
4. .Duration is limited to 75% of length of marriage
5. . Amount of alimony is capped at the need of the receiving party or 35% of the difference between the parties net incomes (whichever is less).