Family Law, Criminal Defense and Personal Injury Litigation Law Firm

The Dorsey Law Firm

211 North Liberty Street
Jacksonville, Florida 32202
USA

(904) 346-3883

(904) 358-8060

www.dorseylawjax.com

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Law Firm Overview

William J. Dorsey founded the Dorsey Law Firm in 1975. Mr. Dorsey attended Lee High School in Jacksonville and continued his education at the University of Florida where he played football and was the captain of the 1968 Florida Gators.

Mr. Dorsey holds a B.S.B.A degree in Business Management and Juris Doctorate from the University of Florida Law School. After being admitted to the Florida Bar, Mr. Dorsey was an Assistant State Attorney in Jacksonville from 1973-1975.

Mr. Dorsey has tried numerous jury trials through out Florida in both state and federal courts. He has relied on his background in sports and teamwork to develop a competitive expertise as a trial attorney.

Year this Office was Established: 1975

Practice Areas

Additional Practice Areas: Timesharing Law; Relocation of Children; Retirement Plans; Temporary Relief; Property Division; Modification of Final Judgment and Orders; Grandparents’ Visitation/ Temporary Custody; Contempt and Enforcement; 10-20-LIFE Defense.

Practice Areas Description

The Dorsey Law Firm represents clients who need services in the following practice areas:

- Family Law

Our law firm counsels clients on a wide range of family law issues. Our services include all family law matters from short term and emergency situations, such as injunctions against domestic violence to process a final divorce and post judgment modifications of support and custody. We attempt to negotiate settlements, but are not afraid to take a case to trial or to appeal if necessary.

• Divorce Dissolution of Marriage

Florida is a no fault divorce state. There are no grounds for divorce such as adultery, abandonment, or other traditional grounds for divorce. All that is necessary is to prove that the marriage is irretrievable broken. Under some circumstances, the court will stay the divorce pending marriage counseling. Also, one of the parties to a divorce must show proof of Florida residency for at least six (6) months prior to filing the petition for dissolution of marriage. Normally, residency can be proven by using a Florida driver’s license showing the date of issue at least six (6) months before the date the petition for dissolution of marriage was filed.

• Alimony and Spousal Support

Alimony is intended to provide support or maintenance for one of the parties based on: (1) the actual need for alimony and (2) the ability to pay alimony. Maintenance is intended to provide support during the dissolution of marriage or in the event there is a request for support unconnected with the dissolution of marriage, the court may award support or maintenance without dissolving the marriage.

• Child Custody and Shared Parenting

Florida law requires the court to order shared parental responsibility by both parents of their children, unless the court finds shared parental responsibility would be detrimental to the children in which case the court may award sole parental responsibility to one of the parents. In ordering shared parental responsibility, the court may grant one party the ultimate responsibility over specific aspects of the children’s welfare or may divide these responsibilities between the parties based upon the best interests of the children.

The areas of responsibility may include education, health care and other responsibilities the court finds unique to a particular family. Shared parental responsibility includes access to records and information pertaining to the children including, but not limited to their medical, dental and school records. Shared parental responsibility requires both parties to share information and decision making regarding the children’s best interest and welfare. Shared parental responsibility encourages each parent to foster love and affection between the children and the other parent. Shared parental responsibility is not shared custody.

• Visitation and Timesharing

Florida no longer uses the term(s) custody, primary care, primary residential care, or other such designations of custody. Instead, the law refers to timesharing, shared parenting and requires a parenting plan. The timesharing laws in Florida requires a parenting plan must be approved by the court. At a minimum, the parenting plan must describe in detail how the parents will share and be responsible for the daily tasks associated with upbringing the children; the timesharing schedule arrangements that specify the time the children will spend with each parent; a designation of which parent will be responsible for any and all forms of health care, school related matters, including the address to be used for school boundary determination and registration and other activities and methods and technologies the parents will use to communicate with the children.

We also handle the following family law matters:

• Relocation of Children
• Paternity
• Child Support
• Retirement Plans
• Temporary Relief
• Property Division
• Domestic Violence Injunctions
• Modification of Final Judgment and Orders
• Grandparents’ Visitation/ Temporary Custody
• Contempt and Enforcement
• Prenuptial Agreements

- Criminal Law

Our firm defends clients in Duval, Clay, St. Johns, Nassau and surrounding counties, Florida, who require criminal defense variety of charges in northern Florida on a state and federal level:

• DUI
• Drug Possession
• Drug Trafficking
• Assault
• Battery
• Sex Crimes
• Theft Crimes
• White-Collar Crimes
• Weapon Charges
• 10-20-LIFE Defense
• Homicide Charges
• Capital Felonies

- Personal Injury

Our firm helps clients who are injured by the negligence of another in Jacksonville and the surrounding counties of Baker, Clay, St. Johns, and Nassau in northern Florida. We handle the following matters:

• Automobile Accidents
• Trucking Accidents
• Wrongful Death
• Slip-and-Falls
• Dog Bites
• Negligent Security
• Other Premises Liability
• Defective Products