Florida Divorce Facts

Divorce: There are two kinds of divorce in Florida; contested or uncontested.

1. “uncontested” is when both sides agree to all the issues and an agreement is signed which finalizes the divorce. Affordable prices with flexible payment plans are available.
2. “contested” is when the parties cannot agree on all of the issues and the case goes to mediation in an effort to resolve all of the issues of your case. If mediation does not work, your case will be set for trial where a judge will decide the outcome of your case.

It is always best to try to resolve your case without going to trial so that you can control the outcome of your case. If you go to trial, which the law office of sacks & sacks is more than qualified to do, you are allowing the judge to decide the outcome of your case. It is important to note that you and your spouse know each other better than the judge does. Sometimes a judge will enter an order that you don’t agree with but will now be forced to live with. The law office of sacks & sacks will help you make a decision that will put you in the best position to achieve your divorce goals.

Time-sharing and child support are not just for married couples seeking a divorce. People who are unmarried but share a child or children can file similar documents with the court that gives both parents visitation rights and provides for the health and well being of the child.

Getting divorced does not have to be expensive. Unlike the big firms, the law office of sacks & sacks offer reasonable attorney fees with flexible payment plans. At our office, you will receive personal attention by one of out attorney/owners. Please use the contact form on our website or call us at (904) 396-5557 to speak to attorneys Adam or Melanie Sacks about scheduling a free consultation.

Please refer to Family Law FAQs which covers the issues of child support and time-sharing (custody).

Alimony, also know as spousal support, is agreed upon by the parties or ordered by the court after a trial. The purpose of spousal support is to provide for the needs of the other spouse because the other spouse is unable to do so by him or herself. When determining how much spousal support should be agreed upon or ordered by the court, certain factors need to be considered, which include but are not limited to the following: the standard of living the parties became accustomed to while married; the contributions of each spouse to the marriage and the sacrifices that each spouse made to help the marriage.

There are four types of alimony in Florida law:

• Bridge-the-gap alimony is short-term financial support to aid in the transition from married life to single life, limited to two years in duration
• Rehabilitative alimony is support intended to promote self-sufficiency through the development of job skills and credentials
• Durational is temporary financial support that continues for a set duration, limited to a maximum duration of the length of the marriage
• Permanent Alimony is financial support that continues until the death of either party or the remarriage of the receiving party.

Depending upon your situation, a judge can order any combination of alimony types.

Child custody/timesharing is when the parties decide or a judge decides at a trial when each parent gets to see the child and how often. Judges can essentially consider any factor in determining what is in the best interest of a child or children. The factors include but are not limited to the following: the income of each parent; the living environment that each parent can provide; if there is a history of domestic violence or criminal activity in the family household; the educational opportunities that each parent can provide the child with and the child’s relationship with each parent.

Family law judges are given very wide discretion when determining what is in the best interest of a child. At the law office of sacks & sacks, our attorneys are well versed in the laws that the judges use to make their decisions. We will make sure that the judge is aware of every detail, both small and large, to help tip the scales in your favor.