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The Procedure of an Uncontested Divorce in the Lake Mary, and Orlando, Florida Area 

You have decided that you want to obtain an Uncontested Divorce in the Lake Mary, Florida or Orlando, Florida area. What does that entail? In Seminole or Volusia County, with the help of an attorney, you may be able to do that without ever having to set foot in a courthouse. In Orange County, you will probably have to attend an in person Hearing on the Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage. 

Getting an Uncontested Divorce

How do you go about getting to that point? First, are you absolutely sure that you and your spouse agree on how to settle all the issues in the case? If the answer is yes, then you can do an uncontested dissolution of marriage. 

You will meet with the attorney you hire to do your divorce. The attorney can only represent one spouse in the dissolution of marriage case. The attorney will probably charge a nonrefundable attorney of $2,500.00 to $3,500.00. This is usually not a flat fee. The attorney will bill you hourly. If you and your spouse go back and forth on the issues, or spend a lot of time on mandatory disclosure, then you may spend $3,500.00 to $5,000.00. The attorney will probably also require a refundable cost retainer of $478.00, which consists of a filing fee of $408.00, a cost for summons of $10.00, and cost for process server of $60.00. 

The Financial Side

You will need to decide if you want to waive mandatory disclosure. That is, do you just want to file a financial affidavit; and not produce all the financial information required in the certificate of compliance with mandatory disclosure. Each spouse should file a financial affidavit.

If you make less than $50,000, then you file a short form financial affidavit. If you make $50,000 or more, then you must file a long form financial affidavit. You will need to file an affidavit of non-military service. Then, you will file a marital Settlement agreement with what you and your spouse agreed to in order to settle the case. 

The Parenting Side

If you have children, you must file a Parenting Plan and Child Support Guidelines worksheet. If you have children, you will also need to file a social security number form and UCCJEA. Lastly, if the children are under fourteen years of age, then you must take a mandatory parenting class. The parenting class is four hours; and you can take the course online. 

If you have more questions regarding a Marital and Family Law matter, you may call Ann Marie Giordano Gilden at Ann Marie Giordano Gilden, P.A. at 407-732-7620 and set an initial consultation. You may also visit my website at: https://www.annmariegildenlaw.com 

This article is for informational purposes only and does not form an attorney client privilege.