The FALDP Docket

Volume 13 Issue 7; July 2023

Stay up to date, and in the know. We publish this for the benefit of FALDP members, legal document preparers, and friends. Published monthly since May, 2010

RENEWAL REMINDER

July 31 is the last day to renew, it will be here before you know it. Renew your membership today and focus on getting ready for our [September 9] Conference instead.

Membership renewal forms and payments can be submitted from inside the Members Only area. We will send out a few more email reminders before the renewal period runs out. We have called some members to remind them, and will try to call the rest. The membership renewal is only $85.

When members renew, their information on the directories climb up the page, giving the renewed member increased exposure. Renewed and new members information on the All member-directory not only climbs up the page, but is also highlighted with a light orange background to bring attention to their information.

We delete lapsed members information from our website on August 1st, and change the password to the Members Only pages. Lapsed members may rejoin at the regular rate of $166.

FALDP FREEDOM CONFERENCE - 2023

We will need more and more detail as we get closer to that date. For now, this is the basics. All is subject to change, or to be broadened, or explored further, ... we hope you're coming along for the ride.

Preliminary Agenda

2. Quick Start Bundle

The other Turn Key Bundle just released is our Quick Start Bundle, designed to help you get started in your new business as quickly and painlessly as possible. We have been a trade association since 2010, and have seen many new businesses get started. Besides a trade association and resource for document preparers and pro se litigants, we consider ourselves a small business incubator. Our Quick Start Bundle includes:

As We Grow ...

We updated our FALDP Members Handbook, and members can find it inside the Members Only area..

Also, please remember:

Avoid UPL! Course - REMINDER

Don't forget. If you haven't taken the Avoid UPL! Course since August 1 of 2022, you need to take it again. We require all members to take the Avoid UPL! Course each year. We add, or edit some content throughout the year, but make no effort to entertain members with all fresh and new information.

We hope members will internalize the main points through repetition. In addition, you may discover something new that had not caught your attention before. We admit that some of the information seems trivial. Learn it anyway. Your goal is to Avoid UPL, you don't need to agree with all of the rules.

Zoom Meetings

The Zoom scheduled for the last Saturday of this month (7/29 @ 11:00 am EST) is "Conference Preview". Members can get an idea of what to expect at our Sept. 9 Conference. Attend if you can, this meeting will be helpful for you whether this will be your first conference, you've been to several, or you haven't yet made up your mind. Attend if you can, you'll be glad you did.
Remember, our Saturday conferences are one continuing education unit.

Our After Hours Zooms are held the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 pm EST. You can look ahead at the upcoming topics for our Saturday Zooms here - Training-webinars.html We email invitations in advance of each Zoom Webinar to all members. We also post the invitation inside our private Facebook Group. After our meetings we post information related to the meeting inside the Members Only area.

Legal Advice v Legal Information

Sometimes it's hard for people to fully understand the differences between legal advice and legal information. Information is fact. Advice is telling someone what they should or should not do. Seems obvious enough.

However some general advice becomes not advice at all because it so general. For example, common knowledge advice. You should wear your seat belt while driving. Don't drink and drive. You should pay your income taxes on time. You should financially support your children. All of those statements are advice, and there are laws related to all of those statements, so does that mean those statements are “legal advice”, which is something that only a lawyer can give?

No, the very general nature of the advice, even though the subject is technically a legal matter, transforms these advisories into general advice.

But, it gets murky. I'm not an attorney. What if I said to a first time homeowner, you should apply for homestead exemption? Is that general advice? It's obvious to me, and common knowledge to me having lived in Florida most of my life and bought and sold more than one home. But what if the first time homeowner is not only a first timer, but also has recently moved to Florida? Is it legal advice?

Maybe. It might be better to send that person down to the county building to find out all about homestead exemption on his own.

I always identify myself to prospective customers as a legal document preparer. And, I then, explain that a legal document preparer can prepare legal documents, provide legal information, and explain procedure, but may not provide legal advice or representation. Although, most consumers say they understand, it still may not prevent them from asking legal questions which I cannot answer.

Legal document preparers may not select forms for their customers. But, many times the customer knows exactly what he wants to accomplish legally, but does not know the name of the form or process. For example, frequently an unwed father will call and tell me that the mother of his child will not allow him to see the child. Most of the time, the father is already paying child support. He is at the mercy of the mother's whims, and poor dad doesn't know why. So I tell him the name of the form.

The central form is called a Petition to Determine Paternity and Related Relief. And, I explain it in this way, “this is like a divorce but for parents who were never married and have a child together.” And I go on to explain that the purpose of the process is for him to receive a signed order from the court naming him as the legal father so that he will have just as much right to see the child as the mother. And this is exactly what happens, unless the mother proves that there was ongoing criminal activity in the household; child abuse or neglect; domestic violence in the parents' relationship; or some other reason that this father should not have paternal rights.

FALDP on Social Media and Beyond

Spanish & English Parenting Course

Did you know that FALDP members can receive $3.00 for each referral to either version of the Parenting Course?

Prices are: $29.99 and $14.99 for low income. Here's the link directly to the Spanish version - spanish parenting course And here it is for the English version Parenting Course

Parental Education and Family Stabilization Course is mandatory for all divorcing couples who have children; and all people seeking a paternity action.

Don't have a site yet? Try Monarch Web Strategies

FALDP Private Facebook Group

About one third of our membership has joined the FALDP private Facebook group. We created it to make it easier to interact with each other. So far, people have given work referrals to one another; asked questions to the group; received help in locating a form; and discussed various issues. If you're working toward FALDP Certification, you earn one CEU just by joining the group. So, what are you waiting for? Look for the private group after going to the official FALDP Facebook page at FALDP,LLC on Facebook.

Member's Announcements & Contributions

Have something to share?

If you would like to write an article, editorial, opinion piece, or web page please let us know. We are always in need of fresh information and insights.