The Christmas and New Year holidays are now behind us, which means Florida divorce lawyers are gearing up for a busy new year. Given that Florida has the sixth highest divorce rate in the country, Florida divorce attorneys tend to keep busy throughout the year. However, divorce attorneys nationwide refer to January as “divorce month” because it is marked by a significant increase in divorce filings and inquiries from clients interested in exploring divorce options.

If you’re planning to file for divorce or recently engaged in divorce proceedings in Florida, it’s time to familiarize yourself with mediation. Incorporated in Florida’s divorce laws, couples who are dissolving their marriage through a contested divorce are required to undergo compulsory mediation. While Florida family court judges make the ultimate decisions in contested divorces when the parties are unable to agree, they use mediation to help them determine divorce outcomes like division of assets, alimony, and child custody and support.

If you have long thought that alimony is a permanent condition of divorce, you might be surprised to learn that “permanent” alimony in Florida is the rarest form of spousal support that courts can award in a divorce. And, as of July 2023, the permanence of this category ended with the legislative passage of SB 1416. Among other things, the legislation limited the duration of permanent alimony to 75% of the marriage term for those married 20 years or longer. The legislation also eliminated court-ordered durational alimony awards for those married under three years.

Florida divorce law calls for the “equitable” distribution of marital assets and liabilities. While this sounds fair, the keyword in the law is “equitable,” which doesn’t necessarily mean a right-down-the-middle 50/50 split. In fact, the law provides judges with significant subjective discretion to determine what might constitute an equitable distribution in each divorce case.

When marital bliss morphs into prolonged marital strife, divorce often follows. On par with a death in the family, tax audits, and moving, divorce can be one of the most stressful and difficult times of a person’s life. Few people are ever prepared for divorce, and emotions can cloud rational thinking. This can make divorcing spouses prone to making mistakes before and during the process, impacting outcomes and their long-term future.

Florida law provides married couples with two different options for dissolving their marriages through divorce: Uncontested divorce Contested divorce

When marital bliss turns into sustained marital turmoil, one or both spouses often start contemplating divorce. Likewise, when either marital partner seeks bliss in the arms of a third party, and sometimes when the wedded bliss evaporates and leaves a spouse wondering how they ever ended up married in the first place. Whether due to strife, infidelity, or loss of affection, anyone thinking about ending a marriage wonders how long it might take to get a divorce. And, depending on the reasons driving end-of-marriage contemplation, some people yearn for a quick divorce.

Undergoing a divorce can become one of the most stressful periods of a person’s life. The emotional turmoil of ending a marriage is compounded by the legal complexities inherent in property division, child custody, child support, and alimony. An experienced divorce lawyer can help ease some of the stress by addressing these legal complexities on your behalf.

When a Tallahassee-area resident seeks out the divorce services of the marital and family law specialist at Cowhey + Ward Attorneys at Law, they tend to have many questions. Florida divorce laws shape the answers to most questions, but the laws do not cover every situation. One question that can prove particularly vexing is: “Can I date other people while getting my divorce?”