Can I Get My Attorney's Fees Paid in My Family Case?
Divorces can be expensive. So can going back to court to enforce orders in a multitude of family issues from time-sharing to alimony payments. Many people attempt to represent themselves because of the cost of attorney’s fees. While in some circumstances (I would venture to say very few) a person may represent himself or herself quite well, in most circumstances, a person does not know all of his or her rights and does not end up with the best outcome. Florida does allow for courts to order one party to pay the other party’s reasonable attorney’s fees and costs in certain situations to ensure that both parties have equivalent access to capable legal counsel and to ensure that one party does not have an unfair advantage over the other. The court must first consider the financial resources of both parties. The primary considerations of the court are need and ability to pay. In other words, the party asking to be awarded attorney’s fees must prove that he or she has