Fort Lauderdale Family Law Lawyer Steven E. Blumenthal Home
COVID-19 Update: How We are Serving and Protecting our Clients
We are closely watching updates regarding COVID-19, and the recommendations for what we all need to do to protect ourselves, our families and neighbors. Rest assured that we are remaining accessible to our clients as we continue to act in accordance with their best interests during this difficult time.
Please see below for answers to some frequently asked questions, and feel free to reach out to us at (954) 636-7498 or steveb@sblumenthal.com, for assistance with your legal matter.
Is your office currently open during normal business hours?Yes, but by video conference and telephone calls rather than in-person meetings.
When and how can I contact you?At (954) 636-7498 or steveb@sblumenthallaw.com.
What video chat platforms do you offer for clients?I am mostly using Microsoft teams – I send you a link for the meeting that you click on, and all you’ll need for the video conference is a computer or phone with a camera, microphone, and web-browser.
We can video conference also via Skype or Facetime, and telephone calls as well.
Are you accepting new clients?Yes.
How can I get updates regarding the status of my case or legal matter?By calling or emailing. I answer most questions by calling you, and we have the option for video conferences as well.
Are courts of law still open in my area? Will my court date be rescheduled? What if I can’t come to court because I’m sick or quarantined?The Courts are closed to the public for people wanting to go to the Courthouse in-person for most matters, including family law matters other than filing emergency motions and domestic violence injunctions. However, hearings in these and other family law cases are continuing via telephone or video-conferences. Re: emergencies, there are strict rules regarding what is a family law “emergency”.
If there is a hearing scheduled in your case, we will be in touch with the Judge’s office to confirm whether the hearing is going forward, and will let you know.
Some people at this point are postponing matters as people focus on the current health-care crisis, but if there is a hearing scheduled and the party scheduling the hearing wants to proceed, there is a good chance the hearing will go forward. One of the goals set forth in the recent Order from the Chief Judge for Broward County laying out the Court’s “Continuity of Operations Plan", was for the Courts to continue hearing cases via video or telephone, to try to avoid developing a backlog of cases and hearings. I’ll include a link to the Order along with some other links below.
Will scheduled depositions, mediation, arbitration, or settlement negotiations occur as planned?These are being handled on a case-by-case basis. Many we can do remotely, via video conference – for example mediations.
Please feel free to reach out to us with questions at any time, and see the following links below for CDC, State, and/or local updates regarding public health orders, court operations, and other information.
CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/
State: http://www.floridahealth.gov/index.html
Local: https://www.broward.org/CoronaVirus/Pages/default.aspx
Court: http://www.17th.flcourts.org/2020/03/27/order-court-operations-through-april-17-2020/
