The firm’s founding partner, Stephen W. Sessums, was part of the inaugural group of attorneys to earn Board Certification in Marital and Family Law by the Florida Bar.

What does it mean to be Board Certified in Marital and Family Law by The Florida Bar?

Board certified lawyers are evaluated for professionalism and tested for expertise.  Board certification recognizes attorneys’ special knowledge, skills and proficiency in the area of marital and family law and professionalism and ethics in practice.

The Florida Supreme Court established Board Certification in 1982 to note the highest level of achievement that an attorney can reach through evaluation by The Florida Bar for legal competence, experience, and ethics.

As of 2018, for an attorney to earn Board Certification designation in Marital and Family Law, during the five (5) years immediately preceding his/her application for Board Certification, he/she, at a minimum, must have:

• Practiced law for five (5) years;
• Had substantial involvement in the specialty of marital and family law (50% or more of the attorney’s practice);
• Handled at least 25 contested marital and family law cases of which, at least 7 must be trials of 3 hours or more; and
• Completed 75 hours of approved marital and family law certification continuing legal education.

As part of the Board Certification process, the applicant will undergo a thorough background check and a peer review by their opposing counsels, other Board Certified marital and family law attorneys, and the judges before whom the applicant has practiced.

Also, the applicant must successfully pass a six-hour written examination which consists of multiple choice, short answer, and essay questions which are graded by a committee of Board Certified marital and family law attorneys.

The Florida Bar’s certification program is consistently recognized as a national leader among other state programs.

What are “marital and family law” cases?

“Marital and family law” is the practice of law dealing with legal problems arising from the family relationship of husband and wife and parent and child, including civil controversies arising from those relationships. In addition to actual pretrial and trial process, ‘marital and family law’ includes evaluating, handling, and resolving such controversies prior to and during the institution of suit and post-judgment proceedings.  The practice of marital and family law in the state of Florida is generally unique in that decisional, statutory, and procedural laws are specific to this state.

To find out more about the types of marital and family law cases that Sessums Black handles, click here.

What does it mean to have “substantial involvement” in a case?

Having substantial involvement in a case may include participation in the following activities:

• argument and trial of cases that involve Florida marital and family law
• interviewing clients
• counseling clients
• investigating cases
• preparing court filings (petitions, answers, affirmative defenses, motions, memos of law, etc.)
• participating in discovery (requests for admissions, requests for production, depositions, interrogatories, etc.)
• presenting evidence (having a piece of documentary evidence admitted, arguing against a motion in limine, etc.)
• taking testimony
• attending hearings (both evidentiary and non-evidentiary)
• attending mediations
• negotiating marital and family law settlements out of court
• drafting and revising marital settlement agreements

What does it mean to have an attorney Board Certified in Marital and Family Law handle your case?

Choosing an attorney can be a difficult decision.  An attorney who is Board Certified in Marital and Family Law has been thoroughly vetted by his/her peers who have extensive experience and knowledge about the area of Florida marital and family law.  This can provide peace of mind that your case is in the hands of a qualified specialist.

Learn more about Board Certification here.