The Swanson Law Center Blog
Our small law firm in Gainesville, Florida wants to provide interesting updates to matters involved in family law, adoptions, and probate and guardianships. We intend to provide regular notes about interesting updates to the law, new case law, and sometimes just some fun facts. We hope you'll find some interesting things to read. Here is a link to our blog: http://www.swansonlawcenter.blogspot.com/
August 13, 2010 08:46
The Inaugural Committee for Adoption Law Certification
We are very proud to announce that Cynthia Swanson was selected by the President of the Florida Bar to serve on the inaugural committee for Adoption Law Certification. Her appointment is in recognition of her distinguished involvement in the field of adoption law in Florida. As a member of this inaugural committee, Ms. Swanson will have the an opportunity to make a significant impact in the law for the benefit of the public and the legal profession. This committee will have the task of reviewing the credentials for the first group of certification applicants, developing policies to implement the standards for certification, and drafting and administering the first certification exam.
October 27, 2009 22:10
Adoption Law Certification Committee
We are very proud to announce that Cynthia Swanson was selected by the President of the Florida Bar to serve on the inaugural committee for Adoption Law Certification. Her appointment is in recognition of her distinguished involvement in the field of adoption law in Florida. As a member of this inaugural committee, Ms. Swanson will have an opportunity to make a significant impact in the law for the benefit of the public and the legal profession. This committee will have the task of reviewing the credentials for the first group of certification applicants, developing policies to implement the standards for certification, and drafting and administering the first certification exam.
October 27, 2009 21:23
Cynthia Swanson Honored
Cynthia Swanson was honored on Sept. 14, 2009 at a Founder's Luncheon for Planned Parenthood of North Central Florida for over ten years of legal services to the agency. She has provided legal advice on matters ranging from reviewing internal policy manuals and contracts with vendors, to responding to subpoenas for medical and business records. She also provided in-house workshops on Florida law on topics ranging from paternity and adoption to medical records confidentiality.
September 22, 2009 21:36
We welcome our new attorney
We are extremely pleased to announce the new addition to the Swanson Legal Team. Attorney Mary-Ellen Cross became an Associate Attorney with our team this month. Before joining us, Mary-Ellen was the Senior Trial Court Staff Attorney for the Eighth Judicial Circuit. In this position, she gave legal advice to judges in many areas of the law, including adoptions, family law and guardianship. Through this experience, she worked on hundreds of cases and gained extensive knowledge about adoption law, among other areas. We are very happy welcome her as a valuable part of our legal team.
January 20, 2009 23:04
Holiday Schedule and Office Closings
This holiday season our office will be closed on Wednesday, December 24, 2008 through Friday December 26, 2008 for Christmas. Our office will re-open Monday, December 29, 2008 for regular business hours, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. We will again be closed January 1 and January 2, 2009 to ring in the New year and will open on Monday, January 5, 2009 for regular business hours, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. We would like to take this opportunity to wish you and yours a happy, safe and healthy holiday and a wonderful New Year. ~~~ The Swanson Legal Team
December 19, 2008 13:40
Custody Law Changes
The Florida Legislature made some changes to Florida’s divorce related laws in 2008. The main change relates to custody and visitation with children when parents are divorcing. The Legislature removed all references to "custody," "custodial parent," "primary residential parent," and "visitation," and replaced those terms with a requirement for "timesharing" and for a "parenting plan." The parenting plan is to be a document - either agreed to by the parents or imposed by the Court - which governs the relationship of the parties in regard to decisions which must be made for the minor child or children, and which must include a timesharing schedule.
The Legislative staff analysis of this law promises, "This bill eliminates what is considered by many to be outdated and negative terminology related to divorcing parents and their children in order to reduce animosity in relationships between and among family members and thus improve family circumstances for children."
This bill also repeals the "rotating custody" provision of the statutes, and added several factors for the Court to consider in fashioning a parenting plan when the parties cannot agree. These factors are all aimed at determining which parent puts the needs and interests of the child(ren) ahead of the parent’s, and the proclivity of the parents to reach mutual decisions and to foster a good relationship between the child(ren) and the other parent.
Those of us who have practiced law for 25 years or so saw similar changes when the Legislature changed references to "custody" in favor of references to "shared parental responsibility" and "primary residence." Then provisions for "rotating custody" were adopted. All of this came with predictions that changing labels will change people’s feelings and personalities. The thing is that almost all divorces come with hurt feelings, anger, bitterness, feelings of betrayal, guilt, and so on. Until the parties have a chance to work out those feelings, labels are not likely to change their attitudes. Only the most mature person can instantly set aside such hurt feelings toward the other parent and conceive of the type of shared parenting plan envisioned by the legislature.
June 24, 2008 09:46
AAML Conference
May was a month for several important family law related conferences. Soon after returning from St. Louis and the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys conference, Cynthia Swanson traveled to Orlando to attend the 2008 conference of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. The two day institute provided up to the minute information and tips on divorce related matters. Included was an in depth look at award of permanent alimony throughout the state of Florida, as well as great workshops on using forensic CPAs for valuation of businesses, for discovery of hidden financial assets, and tips on the tax aspects of dissolution of marriage cases. In addition, we had a first look at Florida Senate Bill 2532 which created some changes in custody and visitation issues. We’ll have more about that in a later blog entry.
This conference takes an advanced and sophisticated look at complex and sophisticated family law issues. Our firm works hard to stay on the cutting edge of matters which affect our clients. We always want to provide you with the best information, so you can make the best decisions for your family.
June 18, 2008 19:04
Florida Registered Paralegal Program
Congratulations to our Florida Registered Paralegal, Darcy Kochanowsky. On March 1, 2008, the Florida Bar began registering paralegals in our state. Darcy received her certificate on March 27, 2008 and we are pleased to congratulate her on this accomplishment.
June 11, 2008 19:43
Annual Conference - American Academy of Adoption Attorneys
Darcy Kochanowsky and Cynthia Swanson recently attended the very informative annual conference for the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys (AAAA) in St. Louis, Missouri. This conference was two and a half days jam-packed with adoption training and information on the various practices and procedures that govern adoption and related areas. We expanded our knowledge about the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), Assisted Reproductive Technology (ARTS), the Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children (ICPC), and biological and genetic testing, among other things.As a practitioner in the field of adoption for more than 25 years, I am amazed at how the field of the creation of families mirrors our society and our science. The conference was really informative. We are looking forward to a fabulous year with the AAAA, and all the colleagues and new friends we met in St. Louis! We work to keep up to date in all these areas in order to provide the best information and service to our clients.
May 20, 2008 11:50
Gifts for preschool children
Presents collected for preschool children at Prairie View Academy by Cynthia Stump Swanson, P.A. during December 2007 Open House
December 18, 2007 09:53
Nomination for The Chief Justice’s Law Firm Commendation 2008
We are proud to announce that we were nominated for The Chief Justice's Law Firm Commendation 2008 by Three Rivers Legal Services. Their nomination, in part, reads as follows: The law firm of Cynthia Stump Swanson, PA is a small, two-attorney firm in Gainesville, Florida located in rural north central Florida. Throughout the years, Ms. Swanson and her associates have accepted and represented a variety of pro bono clients primarily in family law matters referred from Three Rivers Legal Services.
The cases accepted by this firm often involve difficult custody disputes, domestic violence and divisions of small family businesses and property. In addition, the firm has also accepted referrals of clients with employment problems, guardianships and adoptions. This firm’s willingness to take on such cases either herself or with one of her new associates provides an invaluable service to the clients of Three Rivers and they have provided more than 200 hours over the past years. Ms. Swanson and her firm recognize the need for pro bono representation for those clients referred through Three Rivers as well as those who come into their office without the resources to hire an attorney.
In addition to her work with Three Rivers, Ms. Swanson is very active with and has provided countless hours of pro bono services to Planned Parenthood of North Central Florida. Her work with the organization includes providing advice when Planned Parenthood is subpoenaed for release of records; reviewing contracts; making recommendations and negotiating changes; assisting with employment concerns, personnel policies and Board matters; and reviewing laws regarding health care services, pharmacy dispensing, physician privilege, treatment of minors and the scope of practice for nurse practitioners.
The firm’s pro bono work also includes working with the Interfaith Hospitality Network assisting homeless families in crisis, the Micanopy Historic Preservation Trust which they helped establish, the Gainesville Commission on the Status of Women, the Pilot Club of Greater Gainesville, the Pilot Scholarship House, the North Central Florida AIDS Network and EXPO - The Children’s Museum of Gainesville. Ms. Swanson has been active in the 8th Judicial Circuit Bar Association, the Florida Association of Women Lawyers, the Florida Adoption Council, the League of Women Voters and several task forces of The Florida Bar.
December 07, 2007 15:49
GRAND OPENING OF WEBSITE!
Welcome to our new website. We hope it provides you with useful information. Please call us for more.
September 28, 2007 08:51