Garth R. Goodman, Esq. has been a resident of the State of Florida since August, 1983. In May, 1989, Garth moved to Gulfport, Florida to attend law school at Stetson University and has been a resident of Pinellas County, Florida ever since. Here's a little bit more about Garth:

A Message From Garth

My parents separated one week prior to my ninth birthday. I vividly remember the day my parents separated and I left the only home which I had ever known. Given my experiences during adolescence, I decided to become an attorney emphasizing both Family- Divorce Law and Domestic Relations.

As a Family- Divorce Law practitioner, I firmly believe that the attorney's role is to assist the client in fashioning a final, amicable resolution with the other spouse/ partner or parent. At times, this may not be feasible, but it should always be the goal. When a prospective client comes to my office, I understand that he or she may be anxious and have certain misconceptions about the legal process. During the initial consultation, I make every effort to inform the client on Florida Family- Divorce and Domestic Relations law and procedure. With knowledge comes power.

Every Client matter is unique. For this reason, I pay careful attention to the facts and circumstances of my Client's cause. The Client must be made aware of his or her rights as well as responsibilities under Florida law. The Client must be an active participant in his or her case and must be kept informed of the status of the Proceeding and current trends in the law. If the parties have a child or children, then the interests of the child(ren) are paramount importance and should always be considered throughout the process.

As an advocate for my Client, I actively engage the opposing party to find common ground, if any. In this regard, Mediation plays an integral role. If a case is unable to be fully resolved through mediation, then the case will be prepared for Trial. While litigating a Client's case and thereafter preparing same for trial, I will continue to zealously represent my Client by, among other things, speaking with and/ or taking depositions of witnesses and gathering relevant information from the other party(ies) and witnesses. This "discovery" will be carefully reviewed by my Office with my Client. At all times, I endeavor to keep both my Client and the Court apprised of any up-to-date changes to statutes and/ or case law.

Situations involving divorce, paternity, domestic violence and unmarried cohabitant issues can be a very trying time for a Client. Due to my personal life experiences as a child of divorced parents, I have developed great empathy for those going through domestic disputes and strive to work diligently on each case through closure.

Sincerely,
Garth R. Goodman, Esq.

Education

Stetson University, DeLand, Florida

Graduated cum laude with Bachelor's Arts Degree in May, 1989

Stetson University, College of Law, Gulfport, Florida

Graduated cum laude with Juris Doctor Degree in December, 1991

Memberships

Florida Bar
St. Petersburg Bar Association
Community Law Program *

* Garth R. Goodman, Esq. has been a member of the Community Law Program since February, 2004. Garth was awarded the 2006 Pro Bono Award by the St. Petersburg Bar Association for his outstanding service to the indigent.

Legal Research

All legal research performed by the Law Office of Garth R. Goodman, Esq. is computerized and up-to-date.