Find a Family Lawyer in St. Cloud to Guide You Through Divorce

The thought of divorce is unpleasant. When someone gets married, they typically feel as though they are making a good decision and will be in it for the long haul. However, times change, and so do people. You can’t predict everything that’s going to happen in the future, and you might find one day that you no longer want to stay married or you may end up in the stressful situation of having divorce papers delivered to you.

At this point, it is time to start learning more about your options. You will want to connect with a family lawyer in St. Cloud who can help you with your divorce case and any other family law matters you might be facing.

In addition to finding a good attorney, you will also want to start learning more about the basics of divorce in the state. This will give you a better idea of what to expect and where to stand. You will likely end up with more questions, of course, since divorce can be a complicated issue. Make sure to write them down to ask your family lawyer.

Do You Need Grounds for Divorce?

Florida, as is the case with quite a few other states today, has no-fault rules for divorce. This means that you don’t need to meet any specific requirements before you can get divorced. If you or your spouse says that the marriage can’t be saved and you want a divorce, you can file. This is different from some other states where you need to provide grounds for a divorce.

Do You Need to Be a Resident?

Yes. Either you or your spouse will need to have been a Florida resident for at least six months before filing for divorce. There are some exceptions to this rule. For example, if you are a resident of Florida but you are serving in the military, you could still likely file for divorce. The same would be true if you are temporarily reassigned to a workplace outside of Florida, even though you still intend to live in Florida. If you are uncertain, be sure to speak with your family lawyer in St. Cloud about your situation.

What’s Included in the Financial Affidavit

Within the first 45 days of filing your petition for divorce in Florida, you need to include a signed financial affidavit. This will include information about your finances that needs to be disclosed. It’s important that you are honest with your affidavit and that you include as much information as possible. You should include information on your income, assets, tax returns, debts, bank statements, credit card statements, and personal financial statements.

What Does Equitable Distribution Mean?

Property in the state will generally be equitably distributed. This doesn’t mean that everything will be even; however, it means that the court wants to ensure that both spouses have as close to an equal share of marital property as possible. It tends to be a good idea for you and your spouse to get together in mediation or negotiation to determine how different properties should be split. This will give you control over it. If you don’t, the court will make this decision for you. You and your spouse might both be unhappy with the court’s decision. This is why negotiation is always such a good idea.

How Long Does a Divorce Take?

This is a common question. People don’t want to go through the divorce process any longer than they have to, but there is no easy answer to the question. This is because each case will be different. The minimum amount of time that it will take for an uncontested divorce where there are no disagreements is about four to five weeks after all of the paperwork has been completed and filed.

Uncontested divorces are those where the couple agrees on everything in the divorce case. This includes child support, parenting time, property division, etc. These types of cases require that both parties work together to resolve them as soon as possible.

When a divorce is contested, though, it can take much longer. Even if there are just one or two areas where the couple doesn’t agree, the case will likely take at least four to six months to be heard. In some cases, they can last much longer. The longer the case lasts, the more expensive it becomes for everyone who is involved.

Find the Right Family Lawyer in St. Cloud

Now that you have a slightly better understanding of divorce in Florida, it’s time to get in touch with a family lawyer in St. Cloud who can help with your case. Orlando Law Group has some fantastic attorneys that could be just what you need for your case. To learn more, call (407) 512-4394 today!