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Posted On: July 29, 2009

Child Neglect Can Lead To Death in Florida: Tips On How To Prevent It!

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Written by Whitney R. Lonker, Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A.
wlonker@woodatter.com

In Florida, it's hot! Unfortunately, each summer in Florida, we see not just one but numerous news stories about children dying after being left in a hot car. I know these stories make the news almost weekly in Jacksonville, Florida. Many accidents happen as stress levels rise. If people are going through a divorce or the loss of employment, foreclosure, or leading busy lives or experiencing a change in routine, the chances of leaving a child in his or her carseat accidentally is enhanced. The Florida summers can be brutal and the ramifications of child neglect on an individual is more than brutal...it's devastating. These types of accidents inevitably lead to arrest, divorce, incarceration but the saddest consequence is death. Experts have provided advice on ways to prevent this deadly, devastating accident from happening which include:
1. Putting your purse, briefcase or work ID badge in the back of the car beside of the babyseat;

2. Keeping a stuffed animal in the front seat of your car as a reminder that the child is in the backseat;

3. Instructing your child's school or daycare center to alert you if your child does not arrive at his/her regularly scheduled arrival time;

4. Taping a reminder note to the steering wheel of your vehicle;

5. Installing an alarm device to the car seat that will alarm after you are a certain number of feet away from the vehicle.

If you have been charged with child neglect or have had that allegation raised against you by a spouse in Florida, please call our firm for the help you need.

Posted by Keith L. Maynard and Michael A. Atter | | Email This Post

Posted In: Criminal Law

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Posted On: July 24, 2009

When Divorce Turns Criminal in Florida

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Written by Whitney R. Lonker, Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A.
wlonker@woodatter.com

I practice both family law and criminal law at Wood, Atter, & Wolf, in Jacksonville, Florida. In my experience, many times these two areas of law cross one another as either criminal activity causes a divorce or a divorce may cause criminal activity. In either of these situations you need an attorney who is well versed in both areas of legal practice so that you can be given the best representation possible. If a domestic violence situation is causing a divorce and there are criminal implications for the offending party, it is important to hire a practitioner who understands both areas of the law. If drugs have caused a divorce then you need a practitioner who has experience in defending the offending party and who has experience in dealing with substance abuse issues and the collateral damage that comes with a family who has been plagued by substance abuse issues. If a divorce has caused criminal activity such as child abduction or kidnapping, your divorce attorney should have experience in the criminal courtroom as well to best represent the issue in the dissolution.
At Wood, Atter & Wolf, I represent family law clients in divorce, child custody, child support, alimony, adoptions, property distribution and all types of cases but I also have vast experience in the criminal courtroom defending clients accused of misdemeanors from domestic battery to drug charges to felony charges such as kidnapping, armed burglary, armed robbery and sexual crimes. Please call our firm for the help you need and for expert advice.

Posted by Keith L. Maynard and Michael A. Atter | | Email This Post

Posted In: Criminal Law

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Posted On: July 22, 2009

Parental Kidnapping: What To Do To Recover Your Child in Florida!

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Written by Whitney R. Lonker, Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A.
wlonker@woodatter.com

Just about the worst thing that can happen to a parent is to have their child abducted. In the course of a divorce case with custody or time-sharing that is at issue, unfortunately, child abduction by a parent can be a real threat and a real reality. There are approximately 200 cases of parental child snatching every year. Sometimes these parents leave the home state of the child or remove the child from the United States altogether. Florida, like most states, has adopted the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA) which rules that initial child custody determinations should be made by the child's home state. A child's home state is the state in which a child has lived with a parent or guardian for at least six (6) months.

Continue reading " Parental Kidnapping: What To Do To Recover Your Child in Florida! " »

Posted by Keith L. Maynard and Michael A. Atter | | Email This Post

Posted In: Criminal Law

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