Florida Divorce & Family Law Attorneys

We are a boutique law firm focused on divorce and family law in Miami and South Florida. When you call us at 786-522-1411 during business hours, you are connected directly to the lead attorney, Albert Goodwin. Never to an associate or to an assistant. When you hire our firm, Albert Goodwin handles your case directly, with associates in supporting roles.

Florida is a no-fault divorce state. Under Florida Statutes § 61.052, the court will dissolve a marriage on the simple ground that the marriage is irretrievably broken. You do not have to prove adultery, cruelty, or any other wrongdoing to end the marriage. To file, at least one spouse must have lived in Florida for six months before the petition is filed.

What you do need to resolve are the practical issues that follow: how your property and debts will be divided, whether either spouse will pay alimony, where the children will live and on what schedule, and how much child support is owed. Each of these issues has its own statute, its own legal standard, and its own strategy. We help you reach the right outcome on each one.

Our Florida Family Law Practice Areas

Dissolution of Marriage

Most Florida divorces fall into one of three procedural tracks. A simplified dissolution is the fastest path, but it is only available to couples with no minor or dependent children, no pregnancy, no request for alimony, and a written agreement on how to divide everything. An uncontested divorce applies when the spouses agree on all issues but cannot use simplified dissolution -- typically because they have children or one spouse seeks support. A contested divorce is the standard adversarial proceeding when the parties cannot agree, and it may involve mediation, discovery, temporary relief hearings, and trial.

We also handle specialized matters such as military divorce under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act and the Uniformed Services Former Spouses' Protection Act, and high-asset divorce involving business valuations, executive compensation, pensions, and complex real estate.

Equitable Distribution

Florida is an equitable distribution state, not a community property state. Under Florida Statutes § 61.075, the court starts with the presumption that marital assets and liabilities should be divided equally, but it can depart from a 50/50 split based on factors such as each spouse's contribution to the marriage, the economic circumstances of each party, interruption of careers, and intentional waste or dissipation of assets.

The first step is always to classify property as marital or nonmarital. Nonmarital property -- assets owned before marriage, gifts, inheritances, and assets excluded by a valid prenuptial agreement -- generally stays with the original owner. Marital property -- including the increase in value of nonmarital property due to marital effort -- is what the court divides.

Alimony

Florida's alimony system was substantially rewritten in 2023. Permanent alimony has been abolished. Under Florida Statutes § 61.08, courts may now award only four forms of alimony: temporary (during the case), bridge-the-gap (up to two years), rehabilitative (up to five years with a specific plan), and durational (capped by the length of the marriage).

Durational alimony cannot be awarded in a marriage that lasted less than three years. For longer marriages, the statute defines short-term (under 10 years), moderate-term (10 to 20 years), and long-term (20+ years) marriages, and caps the duration of any award at 50%, 60%, and 75% of the length of the marriage, respectively. The amount is capped at the lesser of the recipient's reasonable need or 35% of the difference between the parties' net incomes.

Time-Sharing and Parenting Plans

Florida law does not use the term "custody." Under Florida Statutes § 61.13, courts allocate time-sharing and parental responsibility, and every case involving minor children requires a written parenting plan. As of July 1, 2023, Florida law presumes that equal time-sharing is in the best interests of the child. That presumption can be rebutted by a preponderance of the evidence based on the statutory best-interest factors.

The parenting plan must address the time-sharing schedule (weekdays, weekends, holidays, school breaks, and summer), decision-making authority on education, healthcare and religion, how the parents will communicate, and which parent handles school-related and medical activities. A parent who wants to relocate with the child more than 50 miles away for more than 60 days must either obtain written consent from the other parent or petition the court under Florida Statutes § 61.13001.

Child Support

Florida calculates child support using the Income Shares Model set out in Florida Statutes § 61.30. The guideline amount is based on the combined net monthly income of both parents and the number of children. The amount is then adjusted for health insurance premiums, work-related childcare, and the time-sharing schedule. When a parent exercises at least 20% of the overnights, the court applies the gross-up method, which can substantially change the support number.

Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements

A prenuptial agreement signed before marriage, or a postnuptial agreement signed after, can predetermine how assets, debts, and alimony will be handled if the marriage ends. Florida adopted the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act in Florida Statutes Chapter 61, Part II. To be enforceable, the agreement must be in writing, signed voluntarily, supported by full and fair financial disclosure, and not unconscionable. Child support and time-sharing cannot be permanently waived by contract.

Mediation and Collaborative Divorce

Most Florida circuits, including those in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach, require mediation before contested family law matters can be tried. Mediation is confidential and gives the parties control over the outcome that a judge cannot. Collaborative divorce is a related but distinct process governed by Florida Statutes § 61.55 - 61.58, in which both spouses and their attorneys sign a participation agreement to resolve the case out of court and use jointly retained neutral experts.

Domestic Violence Injunctions

If you or your children are in danger, a domestic violence injunction under Florida Statutes § 741.30 can provide immediate protection, including exclusive use of the residence, temporary time-sharing, and a no-contact order. An injunction often runs parallel to the divorce case and has its own evidentiary standard.

Why Choose Our Firm

Direct Access to the Lead Attorney

From the first phone call through the final order, Albert Goodwin handles your case. You will not be passed from one associate to another, and you will not have to re-explain your case every time you call.

Florida Family Law Experience

We track every amendment to Chapter 61 of the Florida Statutes, including the major 2023 alimony reform (SB 1416) and the equal time-sharing presumption (HB 1301). We also follow opinions from Florida's District Courts of Appeal that shape how trial judges apply those statutes in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach.

Knowledge of South Florida Family Courts

We practice regularly in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit (Miami-Dade), the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit (Broward), and the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit (Palm Beach). We know the local procedures, the general magistrates, and the family court judges who will decide your case.

Strategy Over Conflict

Divorce is expensive when it becomes adversarial for its own sake. We work to settle what can be settled and litigate only what must be litigated. When trial is unavoidable, we are ready for it -- but we measure success by your outcome, not by how many motions we filed.

Why Choose a Family Law Specialist

Florida family law has become a specialty in fact, even if it is not yet a board-certified specialty in every practitioner's name. Chapter 61 changes every legislative session. Permanent alimony was abolished in 2023. The equal time-sharing presumption took effect the same year. The Department of Revenue's child-support guidelines, the standardized family law forms, and the local administrative orders in each circuit are revised on a rolling basis. A general practitioner who handles the occasional divorce alongside personal injury, real estate, and probate work cannot reasonably keep pace with all of these moving parts.

A family law focused firm reads the legislative summaries, follows the appellate opinions out of Florida's Third, Fourth, and Fifth District Courts of Appeal, and knows which arguments are working in the trial courts of South Florida this quarter. That focused attention matters most in three places: in the financial analysis behind equitable distribution, in the structuring of alimony under the post-2023 framework, and in the preparation of a parenting plan that will survive contact with a contested hearing. Each of those areas rewards the lawyer who has done the same work a hundred times before in front of the same family-court judges.

Counties We Serve

We accept cases in the three core counties of South Florida. Each circuit has its own family division, its own administrative orders, its own assignment of general magistrates, and its own scheduling rhythm. Knowing the local practice in each is part of what we do.

Miami-Dade County (Eleventh Judicial Circuit)

The Eleventh Judicial Circuit handles family cases out of the Lawson E. Thomas Courthouse Center in downtown Miami. Family division judges and general magistrates hear dissolutions, time-sharing disputes, modifications, paternity matters, and domestic-violence injunctions. Mediation is required in nearly every contested case before a trial date will be set. Our Coral Gables office is a short drive from the Miami-Dade family courthouse, and our practice is concentrated in this circuit.

Broward County (Seventeenth Judicial Circuit)

The Seventeenth Judicial Circuit hears family cases at the Broward County Central Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale. Broward maintains an active family division with both circuit judges and general magistrates handling the majority of contested matters. The circuit has its own administrative orders governing case management, financial disclosure deadlines, and family mediation. We handle dissolutions, parenting disputes, and post-judgment matters throughout Broward.

Palm Beach County (Fifteenth Judicial Circuit)

The Fifteenth Judicial Circuit handles family law out of the Palm Beach County Main Courthouse in West Palm Beach, with satellite facilities in the south and north county. The circuit's family division uses a unified family-court model in many cases, which can consolidate dissolution, paternity, dependency, and injunction matters that arise out of the same family. We appear regularly in West Palm Beach for clients living from Boca Raton to Jupiter.

What to Expect in Your Initial Consultation

The first conversation is a working call, not a sales pitch. During the initial consultation, Albert Goodwin will ask focused questions about the marriage, the children if any, the assets and liabilities, the income picture, and the events that brought you to the firm. The goal is to understand the case well enough to give you a real assessment.

By the end of the consultation you should leave with the following:

• A clear sense of whether your matter is a simplified dissolution, an uncontested case, or a contested case under Florida procedure.
• An identification of the major issues -- property classification, alimony eligibility, time-sharing schedule, child-support exposure, and any urgent protective relief.
• A realistic time frame, considering the local court's docket and the statutory waiting periods.
• An overview of the fee structure and an estimate of the initial retainer.
• A list of documents to gather: tax returns, pay stubs, bank and brokerage statements, retirement account statements, deeds, mortgage statements, and any existing court orders or prior agreements.

It often helps to bring whatever paperwork you have on hand to the first meeting. If you have been served with a petition, bring the petition and the date you were served -- the twenty-day response window matters.

How Our Fees Work

We believe in transparent billing. There are three components to the financial side of representation.

Consultation

We offer a paid initial consultation. The fee covers a substantive review of your matter and a written summary of the issues if you request one. The consultation is confidential and is protected by the attorney-client privilege regardless of whether you ultimately retain the firm.

Retainer

Most family law representations begin with a retainer deposited into the firm's trust account. The retainer is not a flat fee. It is a deposit against which we bill our hourly rate as work is performed. The size of the retainer depends on the complexity of the matter, the level of conflict expected, and the projected motion practice. When the retainer is drawn down, the engagement letter sets the terms for replenishment.

Hourly Billing and the Engagement Letter

Our representation is governed by a written engagement letter, which we are required to provide under the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar. The engagement letter sets the hourly rates of the attorney and any paralegal, the categories of work that will be billed, the costs that will be advanced (filing fees, mediator fees, court reporter charges, expert fees), the billing cycle, and the procedure for any fee disputes. You receive a monthly invoice itemizing each task in tenth-of-an-hour increments. Nothing is billed in secret. If a strategic step would substantially increase the projected fees, we discuss it with you before incurring the cost.

Frequently Asked Questions About Florida Divorce

How long do I have to live in Florida to file for divorce?

At least one spouse must have resided in Florida for six months before the petition for dissolution of marriage is filed. Residency is proved by a Florida driver's license, voter registration, or the testimony of a corroborating witness. The six-month requirement is jurisdictional -- if it is not met, the court cannot dissolve the marriage.

Does Florida require a reason for the divorce?

No. Florida is a no-fault state. The petitioner must allege only that the marriage is irretrievably broken. The court will not investigate fault as a basis for granting the divorce. Misconduct can still be relevant in limited circumstances -- for example, intentional dissipation of marital assets, or behavior that affects the children -- but it is not required to obtain the dissolution itself.

How long does a Florida divorce take?

The statutory minimum is twenty days from filing to final judgment, but that minimum is rarely the real timeline. A simplified dissolution with both parties cooperating typically takes thirty to sixty days. An uncontested divorce with children, including the required parenting course, generally takes two to four months. A contested divorce that proceeds through discovery, mediation, and trial often runs nine to eighteen months, and complex high-asset cases can take longer.

Will I have to go to mediation?

Almost certainly yes. Each of the three circuits we practice in requires mediation in contested family law cases before trial. Mediation is confidential under Florida Statutes § 44.405, and what is said in mediation is generally not admissible at trial. Most family law cases settle at mediation. Even when full settlement is not reached, partial agreements can narrow the trial issues and shorten the eventual hearing.

What financial information do I have to disclose?

Florida Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.285 requires both parties to file a sworn financial affidavit and to exchange a set of mandatory disclosures: recent tax returns, pay stubs, bank and brokerage statements, retirement account statements, credit card statements, and similar documents. Mandatory disclosure is automatic; it does not require a discovery request. Concealing assets at this stage exposes you to sanctions and can be grounds to reopen a judgment later.

Do I have to take a parenting course?

Yes, if there are minor children. Florida Statutes § 61.21 requires both parents to complete an approved Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course before the final judgment of dissolution. The course is typically a four-hour program offered online by approved providers. Completion is filed with the court.

Does the court start with a presumption of equal time-sharing?

Yes. As of July 1, 2023, Florida law contains a rebuttable presumption that equal time-sharing of a minor child is in the best interests of the child. The presumption can be overcome by a preponderance of the evidence applying the statutory best-interest factors in Florida Statutes § 61.13(3). Equal time-sharing is the starting point of the analysis, not the inevitable outcome.

Can we agree to skip alimony or child support?

Parties may waive alimony in a valid marital settlement agreement, prenuptial, or postnuptial agreement. Child support, by contrast, is the right of the child, not the parent, and cannot be permanently waived. The court reviews any agreed child-support amount against the statutory guidelines and may decline to approve a deviation that is not justified.

Resources for Florida Families

Beyond representation by counsel, several public resources may be useful while a family law matter is pending.

• The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service connects Florida residents with screened attorneys for an initial paid consultation in a specific practice area. The service is administered by The Florida Bar and is available by phone and online.
• Florida Courts Self-Help is a statewide program maintained by the Florida Office of the State Courts Administrator. It provides standardized family law forms, instructions, and general procedural information to self-represented litigants. The forms are accepted in every Florida family court.
• Approved Parent Education Course Providers are listed by each circuit court. The Department of Children and Families maintains a statewide list of approved courses that satisfy the parenting-course requirement under Florida Statutes § 61.21.
• The clerk of court in each county provides access to dockets, case files, and standardized forms. Many family case filings can be reviewed online through the clerk's public records portal, subject to confidentiality rules for sensitive matters such as domestic violence.
• Florida Department of Revenue, Child Support Program assists with the establishment, modification, and enforcement of child support orders and can be a party to a dissolution case when public assistance has been received.

None of these resources replaces individual legal advice. They are useful background; they are not a substitute for counsel who can analyze your specific facts under the Florida statutes and the local rules of the circuit where your case will be heard.

We invite you to schedule a consultation. We are located in Coral Gables and serve Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties. Call 786-522-1411 or email [email protected] to discuss your divorce or family law matter in full confidentiality.