While rights have come a long way for same-sex couples in the United States, the laws entrenched over the nearly two and a half centuries of American history often fail to account for the particulars of same-sex marriage. Until the laws are updated, there are some details in the law that may create issues for partners of a same-sex marriage. A very significant and often overlooked issue is that of parental rights, Read More

  While the process of bringing your fiancé to the United States may seem like a guarantee, it’s important to remember that the application process is just that - an application, not a guarantee. You may be surprised to hear that almost 40 percent of K-1 visa applicants are denied. With a litany of forms, documents, and other paperwork necessary to ensure that the process goes smoothly, it’s crucial that Read More

Stemming from economic instability, shortages of food and medicine, and violence as a result of struggles faced in Venezuela, many Venezuelan citizens have made the difficult decision to leave their country. Since the destabilization of Venezuela began, nearly six million people have left the country, with some taking flights to Mexico. Their final destination, however, is the United States. Typically, immigrants Read More

The current administration’s stance on immigration continues to be positive. It is fair to say that we are on an upward trajectory. After President Biden took office, it was clear to many that the administration took a very different approach to immigration than the previous one. When you look over the verbiage used by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), you will notice that the word “alien” is no Read More

When applying for residency in the United States either within the US or outside of the US, your admissibility status is critical. A person may be ruled inadmissible for many reasons, such as residing in the United States past the expiration of your authorized stay, entering the US undocumented, or being convicted of a crime. Being ruled inadmissible means you’re currently not eligible to obtain your residency, but Read More

Florida law starts with the presumption that children need both parents in their lives. Study after study confirms that, in most cases, children develop best when they have access to both parents.  After a divorce, the best arrangement is for both Florida co-parents to have plenty of visitation with their children. Sometimes, though, because of prior abuse, neglect, long periods of absence, the potential for Read More

For immigrants, few things are as nerve-wracking as a naturalization interview and a marriage interview (when applying for a green card), which are typically held in-person at USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) field offices. The USCIS in-person interview is the result of months, sometimes years, of waiting. You’ve submitted many documents and provided countless pieces of evidence to support your Read More

A restraining order is an important legal tool for discouraging abusers from making contact with their victims. Many restraining orders prohibit abusers from even coming within 500 feet of the victim’s work, school, and home.  These conditions present obvious issues for co-parents who have joint custody of their children. Before proceeding with this blog, though, we should define some terms in the context of Read More

Almost everyone born in the United States is a U.S. citizen. This core tenet of birthright citizenship was enshrined in the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (1868).  The second way to become a U.S. citizen at birth is to have at least one parent who is a U.S. citizen. This situation often comes up with children of active-duty military personnel. The citizen parent must have also completed certain residency Read More

With all the characters and professionals involved in a divorce or time-sharing (child custody) proceeding, the purpose of these specific roles can become confusing. An important figure in many family law proceedings is the guardian ad litem. A guardian ad litem’s (GAL) purpose is to advocate for the child’s best interests in court proceedings. A GAL in a case does not play the role of the parties attorney, mediator, Read More