Dissolution of Marriage

According to the CDC and the National Center for Health Statistics, the national annual rate of divorce is almost half the number of marriages that occur.  Although Florida’s divorce rate has declined over the past 10 years, Florida is still among the top ten states in the nation (including the District of Columbia) with the highest annual divorce rates. Many of our clients considering divorce or on the receiving end of divorce paperwork initially wonder how they got “here”.  But, with 50% of marriages ending in divorce, it should not be surprising.  For most clients, by the time they contact our office, it may be too late to save the marriage.  But, we always ask whether counseling has been considered, and if it may help the parties find that joy they may have had in the beginning of their marriage.  Occasionally we have parties who reconcile at various stages during the divorce process.  Whether you pursue the divorce to final judgement or reconcile, we are here to help you achieve your goals. While divorces may be similar, every case has its own considerations.  For purposes of our brief discussion, we divide divorce into two main categories: 1) Uncontested Divorce (with or without minor children and/or property) and 2) Contested Divorce (also with or without minor children and/or property). In Florida uncontested divorces may take about a month to complete, once the case is filed.  Contested divorces can take anywhere from 6 months to a year or more depending upon the complexity of the issues and how contentious the matter may be.