Founder
Summary: In 2008, the Father filed a Petition for Establishment of Paternity to establish a time-sharing schedule, due to the Mother’s constant restriction of his time-sharing with the minor child. After much litigation, in October, 2009, the parties entered into a Mediation Agreement whereby each party was to have equal time-sharing with the minor child on a week on week off rotation. In June 2013, the Mother filed a Petition to Relocate requesting to move to Alabama with the minor child. Upon being served with the Petition the Father hired Bernal-Mora and Nickolaou, P.A. to represent him. Shortly thereafter, the Father was offered a position in Texas and due to his lack of employment in Florida, the Father was forced to take the position and relocate to Texas, leaving the minor in Florida with the Mother. During the pendency of the litigation the Mother did everything in her power to place unnecessary restrictions on the Father’s ability to have time-sharing with the minor child. A few months prior to the trial, the Mother relocated to Alabama without the consent of the Father or the Court. In December 2015, the parties’ competing Petition’s for Relocation were set for trial before the Circuit Court.
Resolution: After hearing the testimony and evidence, the Court found it was in the child’s best interest to relocate to Texas with the Father. The Father was awarded majority time-sharing with the minor child and the Mother was ordered to pay support to the Father for the benefit of the minor child. Shortly after the Final Judgment being entered the Mother filed a Motion for Rehearing in relation to the placement of the child along with the ordered support. Attorney Bernal-Mora defended the Motion for Rehearing arguing that the Court’s ruling was in the child’s best interest. After much consideration, the Court denied the Mother’s Motion for Rehearing and the Courts ruling stayed as previously ordered.
