Florida Parenting Articles

Filing for Divorce in Florida

Going through a divorce is never easy and can be a strain on time, emotions, and finances. While each of Florida's counties has slightly different requirements when it comes to filing for a divorce, the basics are the same, and so are your options. That said, be sure to look up your individual county to see what small changes do exist.

Divorces Involving Children

The cost of a divorce can increase rapidly if children are involved. Unfortunately, the less the parents agree, the more the divorce will likely end up costing. Generally, if a couple disagrees on most issues the court steps in to dictate details of child custody from timesharing to visitation procedures.

Alimony in Florida

Alimony occurs when one spouse pays the other for varying lengths of time during or after a divorce. Alimony in Florida is granted on a case by case basis; generally with a higher-income earning spouse paying the lower earner. While Florida currently has six types of alimony, the past few years have seen many bills proposing a reduction in the amount of alimony courts can grant and to possibly ban permanent alimony.

Divorces in Florida FAQs

Florida has many unavoidable waiting periods no divorcing couple can avoid, but the length of a divorce will vary depending on what kind it is. Couples qualifying for a simplified divorce must wait at least 20 days after signing a petition for a hearing at which point the marriage can be dissolved, though the hearing date may be set more than 20 days after signing.