Those living in Florida may eventually decide that they cannot continue on in their marriages. The decision to file for divorce often comes after either an extended period of personal reflection or a major dispute with the spouse.
Sometimes spouses agree with one another that divorce is the best solution available to them. Other times, one spouse makes that decision on their own behalf without explicitly discussing the matter before filing paperwork. One of the most important documents people have to complete to secure a divorce in Florida is a petition for dissolution of marriage.
There are multiple versions available
Mistakes are very common when beginning the divorce process. For example, the spouse filing for divorce might select the wrong type of marriage dissolution documents. There are four different types of documents available.
Florida has specialized dissolution paperwork for cases involving children. There are dissolution petitions for those with children but no major assets or property division issues but no shared children. There are streamlined documents for those without children or complicated assets. There are separate documents available for cases where spouses must divide property but have no custody matters to resolve.
What do the documents require?
Spouses filling out dissolution petitions have to provide an assortment of different information to the courts. They have to provide information about themselves and their spouse, as well as the marriage. They have to establish that they meet the residency requirements to file in the Florida family courts.
They may also need to provide information about any dependent children in the family, the extent of the marital estate and whether or not alimony might be necessary given the circumstances. Typically, the spouse filing the petition has to propose specific arrangements in the documents that their spouse can then either approve or contest when they respond to the initial filing.
Mistakes can cause concerning setbacks
It is quite easy for someone experiencing the emotions that accompany a divorce filing to rush through the paperwork. They might fill out the wrong type of documents, exclude crucial information or make other mistakes. They might submit the paperwork to the wrong courts.
Seemingly minor errors can lead to major delays and complications. Typically, people comparing for divorce benefit from having a legal professional handle the paperwork on their behalf. That way, they can focus on healing and moving on with their life instead of trying to make sense of complicated documents and learn about Florida’s divorce statutes.
Filing a dissolution petition is just the first of many steps necessary to legally end a marriage in Florida. People who learn about the divorce process can prepare for the challenges ahead, in part by seeking legal support as early as possible.