Florida appeals court orders fresh review after wife loses alimony and all parenting time following pay cut

A Florida divorce case involving a teacher who reduced her pay from about $49,450 to $20,000 has been sent back for a new review of alimony, child support and parenting arrangements. In Rebecca Zalkin v.

Jeffrey Zalkin, the Fourth District Court of Appeal found that the Broward County trial court failed to make legally required findings before denying the wife’s request for alimony and before awarding the husband all timesharing and sweeping decision-making authority. The appellate court reversed parts of the divorce judgment, vacated later amendments made while the appeal was pending, and sent the case back for further proceedings, as per report by Justia U.S Law.The ruling does not decide that the wife is automatically entitled to alimony or that the parents must share time equally.

Instead, it holds that the trial court must redo key parts of its analysis using the parties’ net incomes, evidence-based income figures and the proper legal standards for parental responsibility. The court did affirm the denial of the wife’s request for attorney’s fees and costs.