Under certain circumstances, spouses may jointly file for divorce and schedule their case for a final hearing within thirty days or less. Pursuant to Florida Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.105, this is known as a simplified dissolution of marriage.
Eligibility for a Simplified Dissolution of Marriage
To be eligible for a simplified dissolution of marriage in Florida, the following must be true:
- The parties have no minor or dependent children;
- The wife is not pregnant;
- At least one of the parties has resided in Florida for at least six months prior to filing for divorce;
- The marriage is irretrievably broken (the parties cannot fix their marriage);
- The parties have filled out and exchanged financial affidavits, disclosing their assets, debts, monthly income, and monthly expenses;
- The parties have agreed how to divide their assets and liabilities in a marital settlement agreement;
- Neither party is seeking alimony;
- The parties are willing to waive their right to trial and appeal; and
- The parties are willing and able to appear together at the final hearing.
If all of the above circumstances are not present, then the parties may not file for a simplified dissolution of marriage. However, the parties may still work together to expedite the process in an uncontested dissolution of marriage.
To learn more about dissolution of marriage, whether standard, simplified, or uncontested, you may contact The Law Firm of Adam B. Cordover, P.A., at (813) 443-0615 or visit our homepage at www.abcfamilylaw.com.
About Adam B. Cordover, Attorney-at-Law
Family Diplomacy is dedicated to helping clients restructure their families privately and respectfully. We practice exclusively in out-of-court dispute resolution, with a focus on collaborative divorce and family law, mediation, direct negotiations, and unbundled legal services.
We maintain this out-of-court practice because we strongly believe that family disputes should be resolved in a private conference room, not in a hostile and public courtroom environment. This unique perspective on family law stems back to Adam B. Cordover’s experience studying International Affairs in Washington, D.C., and abroad. Adam had the rare opportunity to work closely with ambassadors and diplomats from war-torn regions around the world. He traveled around the globe, learning from diplomatic leaders as they applied dispute resolution techniques to tackle seemingly impossible conflicts. It dawned on him: If these techniques can work in the complex world of International Relations, why not Domestic Relations and Family Law?
This realization lead Adam to create an exclusively out-of-court practice and to bring a more peacemaking approach to family law. In his previous role as a litigation attorney, Adam witnessed parties experience the negative emotional and financial effects that long, drawn out divorce battles can have on families. As a result, Adam has become a strong proponent of the Collaborative Process, where a structure is put in place so that life’s hardest moments do not have to be any more difficult than necessary.
A thought leader in the international collaborative law community, Adam successfully spearheaded an effort of the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit to draft an administrative order safeguarding the principles of collaborative family law (just the fourth such administrative order in Florida). Adam has been featured in or interviewed about collaborative practice by the Tampa Bay Times, Tampa Tribune, Orlando Sentinel, Miami Herald, Tampa Bay Business Journal, Florida Bar News, NBC, Fox 13, Bay News 9, ABC Action News, The World of Collaborative Practice Magazine, and Spirit FM 90.5. Adam regularly speaks at professional and civic organizations locally and internationally regarding the collaborative process.
Adam B. Cordover is president of Next Generation Divorce, a 501(c)(3) and Florida’s largest interdisciplinary collaborative practice group with member attorneys, mental health professionals, and financial professionals throughout Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Sarasota, and Manatee Counties. Adam is also on the Executive Board and co-chair of the Research Committee of the Collaborative Family Law Council of Florida. Further, Adam is a graduate of the inaugural class of the Leadership Academy of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals.
You can learn more about us and our services at www.FamilyDiplomacy.com.
Attorney Adam B. Cordover is admitted to the Florida Bar and the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida. His office is located at 412 East Madison Street, Suite 824, Tampa, Florida 33602.
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