Melissa Paniagua
Vasquez de Lara Law group
Melissa Paniagua was born in New York City and raised in Miami, Florida. In 2015, She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Legal Studies with a Minor in Philisophy at Florida Gulf Coast University. After college, she moved back home to Miami and went on to obtain her Juris Doctor from St. Thomas University School of Law where she graduated Cum Laude.
While in law school, Ms. Paniagua was a Moot Court board member, part time law clerk at a family law firm and a judicial intern for the Honorable Daryl Trawick, former Circuit Court Judge in the Family Division of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit in Miami-Dade, Florida.
Ms. Paniagua is a current active member of the Young Lawyers Section of the Dade County Bar Association as well as the Dominican American Bar Association.
Melissa Paniagua is currently an Associate at the Vasquez de Lara Law Group which is a Family Law law firm which emphasizes in areas such as:
- Divorce
- Spousal support
- Child support
- Child Relocation
- Custody
- Division of assets and liabilities
- Termination of parental rights
- Paternity
- Dependency and child neglect
- Protection from abuse
- Family Law
- Adoption, Child Custody, Child Support, Father's Rights, Guardianship & Conservatorship, Paternity, Prenups & Marital Agreements, Restraining Orders, Same Sex Family Law
- Credit Cards Accepted
- Florida
- The Florida Bar
- English: Spoken, Written
- Spanish: Spoken, Written
- Associate
- Vasquez de Lara Law group
- - Current
- St. Thomas University School of Law
- J.D. (2019) | Law
- -
- Honors: Cum Laude
- Activities: Moot Court 2018-2019 E-board Member
- The Florida Bar  # 1018678
- Member
- Current
- Dominican American Bar Associate
- Member
- - Current
- Q. My ex has not responded and I want to change my original offer for time sharing can I fix it upon filing for default?
- A: You have the right to amend your petition before the Respondent files a responsive pleading. Once he responds you have 21 days to amend the petition with either his consent or court order.
- Q. What do I need to file to move out of state where it's in the best interest of my children and myself to move
- A: In order for you to move with your child to another state you can do one of two things:
1.) Get consent (in writing) from the other parent stating that they are in agreement with you moving to another state.
2.) File a Petition for Relocation with the court in which you seek permission from the court to relocate. you will have to provide a information regarding where you plan to relocate and why.
- Q. The alleged father of my four months old just filed with department of child services...
- A: If he has recently filed a petition for paternity, you would have 20 days to file a response with the Court in which you can file an answer and counter petition in which you can affirm and deny the allegations he has made in his Petition and state any defenses you may have and request what you would like to establish in regards to decision making, parental responsibility, and timesharing plan. Once the petitions are in place there will be exchanging of financial documents and you will probably be required to attend mediation in order to resolve some of the issues.
It would be best to get in contact with an attorney as soon as possible in order to avoid filing a late response and a default ... Read More