Jacksonville Divorce Lawyer Blog
The State of Florida has made it possible for certain couples to divorce via a simplified dissolution of marriage. However, Florida couples that wish to divorce without the services of a Florida divorce attorney must meet certain criteria:
• Both must agree to a simplified dissolution of marriage;
• The couple must not have any children under the age of 18 or dependent children;
• They must not have any adopted children under 18;
• The wife cannot be pregnant;
• Either the husband or the wife must have been a Florida resident for at least the past six months;
• Both must agree on the division of property and settlement of debts;
• Neither the husband nor the wife is seeking alimony;
• Both must agree that the marriage is irretrievably broken and want to end the marriage.
If all these conditions are not met, then Florida couples that wish to divorce must follow the state’s regular dissolution of marriage process.
If these conditions are met, then a couple can contact the clerk of the circuit court in their area to obtain the necessary forms to file with the court. Couples are responsible for ensuring that the proper forms are filed correctly, and will be required to appear before a judge for a final dissolution to be granted.