ALTERNATIVE FAMILY LAW:
Several years ago, Kim Byrd recognized that some members of the Tampa Bay community experienced unique legal disadvantages. In particular, Kim saw that certain communities have specialized legal needs, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Floridians. Kim further recognized the legal disadvantages of Florida’s unmarried couples including same-sex domestic partners and elder couples who choose not to marry for personal and financial reasons. Alternative Family Law is a specific area of legal practice, developed by Byrd Legal Counsel, to meet the needs of families that don’t fit the traditional mold.
Historically, incidents and tragedies have occurred that have illuminated the need for legal protections of family members who come to financially and emotionally rely on each other. Unfortunately, laws have not kept up with the times and typically offer protections only to “traditional families.”
Until lawmakers realize the full value of all families, those who head alternative families must take on the responsibility of protecting their loved ones. Byrd Legal Counsel is here to help.
Our practice of Alternative Family Law includes knowing how to best overcome the legal disadvantages that LGBT people have regarding:
- Estate Planning (click here to see this area of our Web site for more information)
- Divorce / Dissolution of Marriage
- Child Custody Disputes
- Child Support Issues
- Visitation Issues
- Partnership and “Living Together” Agreements
- Co-Parenting Agreements
- Separation Agreements
- Sperm Donor Agreements
- Change of Name
- Domestication of Foreign Change of Name Orders
Please contact us for information regarding fees for these services. We will provide you with a free telephone consultation. Living Together Agreements, Co-Parenting Agreements and Separation Agreements start at $250.
Adoptions. Although there have been recent developments on the front of adoptions by gay or lesbian parents, Florida law currently bans adoption by gay people. Florida law does not allow adoptions by the same-sex or unmarried partners of biological parents, commonly called second parent adoption. Although Florida does not permit gay adoption or second parent adoptions, many other states do. Kim Byrd annual attends a national legal conference where these options in other states are discussed. He will be happy to discuss your options for forming your alternative family with you.
Name Change. Individuals have the right to change their name to any name of their choice, as long as they are not doing so for a fraudulent purpose. While we do not recommend that anyone go before the court without legal representation, we recognize that the process for changing your legal name is fairly straightforward and that many individuals choose to represent themselves through this legal process. However, due to the personal bias of some judges, some of our transgender clients have experienced difficulties during the change of name process. If you have experienced difficulties, are concerned about the prospect of such difficulties or just want the peace of mind afforded by legal representation through this process, please contact us. We are ready to help.
Domestication of Foreign Change of Name Orders. If you were born in Florida, but changed your legal name in another state, the Florida Department of Health may require you to have the court order from the foreign state “domesticated” by a Florida court before you can amend your Florida birth certificate to reflect your new name. This is not a routine procedure, but we can assist you just as we have assisted other clients in several counties in the Tampa Bay area.
