Southwest Florida Family Law Attorneys Prepared to Protect Your Emotional and Financial Future

Serving clients in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Estero, Bonita Springs, Naples, Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, & LaBelle

Southwest Florida Family Law Attorneys Prepared to Protect Your Emotional and Financial Future

Serving clients in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Estero, Bonita Springs, Naples, Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, & LaBelle

TRUST • COMMITMENT • INTEGRITY

Bergermann Law Firm has been serving clients in Southwest Florida since 1996. When you need a family law attorney you can rely on contact us for a consultation. Our motto is trust, commitment, integrity and we mean it!

Trust is knowing we will be there to zealously advocate for you. You are not alone, and you do not need to struggle alone. Whether you need assistance writing a prenuptial agreement, filing for a divorce, figuring out a child support issue, determining paternity, drawing up “child custody” parenting plans, mediation or a collaborative divorce, we should be the first place that you call. We start with creating a plan of action for your legal issues, and we follow through on that plan to find a solution in a calm and timely manner. One of the most stressful aspects of any family law case is the unknown. We work hard to clarify legal issues in plain language so you know and understand all your options and can choose the right course of legal action for you and your family.

Commitment means our team focuses on you and your needs first, and we stay the course with you. In every case, our foremost goal is to help you land on your feet and move forward from this difficult time in the best possible shape, both emotionally and financially. We are with you every step of the way, with open lines of communication to keep you informed. One of the biggest obstacles in family law, whether it’s filing for divorce, determining paternity, or signing a prenuptial agreement, is the uncertainty about the financial obligations and resources you will have in the end. Any legal concern that involves your family touches every aspect of your life. Commitment means that together, we will find the best solutions to the concerns you may be facing before getting married, after the divorce is finalized, or at any other pivotal point in your family life.

Integrity means that we’re going to do what we say we’re going to do. We advocate for you during negotiation, mediation, and litigation. If you want legal counsel on whether you should try mediation or collaborative divorce, we will provide you with the information you need to make the best decision for you and your family. If your legal issue means litigation is necessary, we will show up to court fully prepared, and our advocacy skills in the courtroom are unmatched. We keep you in the loop throughout the process so you will have all of your questions answered and you’ll never feel like you don’t know what’s going on with your case. We always take a solutions-oriented approach to resolving family law cases, aggressively defending your rights and protecting your role as a parent, while striving to resolve your legal matters as efficiently as possible. Integrity also means we will make sure you have a clear understanding of the risks, costs, and expectations associated with whatever family law matter you may have.

Divorce

Are you considering getting a divorce? Call us for a FREE initial phone consultation.

Your Legal Team

With over 40 years of experience, our services cover issues from divorce to child custody and support.

Mediation

Our attorneys will help you resolve your dispute through mediation. With mediation you have control over your future.

Collaborative Divorce

The focus is on negotiations done in a respectful, transparent, and orderly fashion.

Here’s what our satisfied clients are saying…

Petra

I can highly recommend this law firm They really helped me to understand my rights and the process They quickly responded even though I was out of country, and made it possible for me to go… read more

8/27/2023

Vera is an exceptional attorney, a kind but fierce advocate for her clients. I had the opportunity to work with her in a difficult divorce case that we were able to resolve successfully. Her patience, knowledge and fairness are of the utmost. I applaud her professionalism …read more
8/25/2023

Frequently Asked Questions

If I leave the home, is it considered "abandonment"?

No, it is not. Abandonment is not an appropriate term in connection with an expensive asset like a home. It is used in connection with child custody. For more clarification regarding “abandonment,” contact a family law attorney at Bergermann Law Firm.

If the account was opened during the marriage with marital funds, then “YES” — you would be entitled to a share of it. Marital funds include earnings from a job. For more information, speak with an experienced divorce attorney at Bergermann Law Firm.

Not unless you have placed your inheritance money in an asset on which you have added your spouse’s name, such as a bank account. Call our divorce lawyers for more information about the role of an inheritance in a divorce action.

If I have my children half the time, do I still have to pay child support?

Maybe. As a child custody law firm, we can tell you that child support is determined according to a formula established by the Florida legislature. The number of overnights that child spends with each parent is one aspect of the formula. The remainder of the calculations in the formula involve the parents’ net incomes.

My baby's mother served me with child support papers. They want child support going back two years from the date of the papers. Is this legal?

Yes. If you did not provide support for the child during the 24 months prior to the filing of the child support action, then you are responsible for paying support for UP TO 24 MONTHS prior to the filing date. If you have paid for some months, but not all, of that 24-month period, then those support payments will be taken into consideration when your child support obligation is established. If you lived with the child for some or all of the 24 months prior to the date of filing, then you are generally considered to have supported the child by providing child care, food, and housing. You will not be assessed with an additional child support obligation for those months where you lived with the child. Speak to our child custody law firm for answers to more specific questions about your case.

Our grandchild has lived with us for the last three months. We do not know where the father is, but our daughter is the mother and incarcerated. Can we get custody?

Most likely. As most family law lawyers will tell you, you fulfill the statutory obligation regarding the amount of time that the child has lived with you. Presumably, the mother will agree that you should have temporary legal custody. However, even if she doesn’t agree, you will prevail over her objections, since she is not able to care for the child while she is incarcerated. You will still need to make an effort to locate the father and serve him with your action to obtain temporary custody. If, after using your best efforts, you remain unable to locate the father, the action can still proceed. Contact the experienced professionals at Bergermann Law Firm for further questions.

I have just retired and cannot pay the same amount of alimony anymore. What can I do?

You can file a Supplemental Petition to Modify or Terminate Alimony if your income has decreased due to retirement at normal retirement age. There are no guarantees and many factors weigh in the judge’s determination of whether to modify or terminate your alimony obligation. To assist with this undertaking, contact the reliable family law lawyers at Bergermann Law Firm.

My ex won't cooperate in getting a passport for our child. What can I do?

First, see if the issue was addressed in your parenting plan. If it was not addressed or the other parent is being obstructive, then you can Motion the court to obtain a passport for your child. A child custody law firm like Bergermann Law Firm can assist you in this endeavor.

The mother of my child won't let me see my child. We were never married, so what can I do?

You will need to file a Petition to Determine Paternity and Parenting Responsibilities. Until the Court determines a parenting schedule for you OR adopts one that you and the mother create together–maybe with the help of a family law mediator–the mother has full control over the child. The authority for this control is found in Chapter 744 of the Florida Statutes. It is best to seek guidance from an experienced family law attorney, like one from Bergermann Law Firm.

My child's other parent and I have a court-ordered parenting plan and a final judgment. Now, I want to move more than 50 miles from my current home due to a job opportunity. Can I do this without the other parent's permission?