Florida Family Law Attorneys

At DearLegal, we connect you with experienced Florida family law attorneys who can navigate Florida’s equitable distribution and the 2023 alimony reform.

Free to use — fees quoted upfront, before you commit
Matched with a Florida attorney in 24 hours
30,000+ plaintiffs served nationwide

Free Florida family law case review

A Florida attorney will take a look. Or call 1-833-WELEGAL.

How we match your Florida family law case

When you submit a Florida family law matter, we route it through a national network of independent partner firms and put it in front of the one that fits best — based on the kind of case it is, what it is likely to involve, where it has to be handled, and who has capacity to take it on now.

Case type

A family law matter needs someone who handles family law work day to day, not a generalist. Practice area is the first filter.

Size and complexity

Some firms are built for catastrophic injury and multi-party litigation; others resolve straightforward claims quickly. We weigh what your matter is likely to involve against how each firm actually works.

Jurisdiction and licensing

Your matter is decided under Florida law, so it goes to an attorney licensed in Florida who regularly appears where your case would be heard.

Capacity and fit

Availability, conflicts of interest and language all matter. If the best-fit firm cannot take your case, we route it to the next one that can — or tell you plainly when no one in the network is the right answer.

Every partner reviews your case for free. Injury and workers’ compensation matters are handled on contingency — no fee unless you win. Other matters are quoted upfront, before you commit to anything.

Get started How DearLegal works

DearLegal provides marketing and matching services and is not a law firm. Submitting a case does not create an attorney-client relationship. Matches depend on case type, jurisdiction and firm availability.

Exhibit A

What happens with a family law claim in Florida

Day 0
You decide to act.
Separation, custody, support or a modification. Gather financials, the children’s schedules and any agreements or orders that already exist.
Within 24 hours
Tell us what happened.
Two minutes on this page. A Florida family law attorney reviews it for free and, if it’s a fit, you’re matched within 24 hours.
Weeks 1–4
Filing and disclosures.
The petition is filed and both sides exchange financial disclosures. Temporary orders for custody or support can be requested early in Florida.
Months 1–6
Negotiation or mediation.
Most cases settle here — parenting plans, division of property, support. Your attorney negotiates from the disclosures, not from guesses.
If it doesn’t settle
Hearing or trial.
Contested issues go before a judge. Preparation matters more than argument; your attorney builds the file for it from day one.
Resolution
Final order.
Fees are quoted before you commit — hourly or a retainer, spelled out in writing at the free consultation.

Residency Requirement: 6 months
6 months in Florida (Fla. Stat. § 61.021)
Property Division System: Equitable distribution
Equitable distribution with presumption of equal division (Fla. Stat. § 61.075)
Custody Standard: Time-sharing
Time-sharing and parental responsibility under 20 factors; shared parental responsibility presumed (Fla. Stat. § 61.13)
Child Support Guidelines: Income Shares
Income Shares model (Fla. Stat. § 61.30)
Spousal Support Framework: 50%
2023 reform (SB 1416) — bridge-the-gap, rehabilitative, and durational alimony; permanent alimony abolished; duration cap of 50% short, 60% moderate, 75% long-term marriages
Typical attorney fee: Hourly
Hourly / Flat Fee

Florida allows divorce on irretrievable breakdown of the marriage under Fla. Stat. § 61.052. Residency is 6 months in Florida before filing (Fla. Stat. § 61.021). Florida is an equitable distribution state under Fla. Stat. § 61.075 — a presumption of equal distribution of marital assets and liabilities, with deviations based on statutory factors. Custody is now called time-sharing and parental responsibility under Fla. Stat. § 61.13 — Florida has a presumption favoring shared parental responsibility. The 2023 Alimony Reform (SB 1416) abolished permanent alimony, capped durational alimony, and created a new bridge-the-gap/rehabilitative/durational framework.

Exhibit B

When to call a family law attorney in Florida

Does any of this sound like you? Tap what applies.

Exhibit C

Family Law cases we take in Florida

Which one is closest to yours?

Uncontested / simplified divorce

When both spouses agree and meet specific criteria (no minor children, no alimony claim, agreement on property), Florida’s simplified dissolution can finalize quickly after the 20-day waiting period.

Sound like yours? A Florida attorney reviews it free — fees are quoted upfront, before you commit.

Start my free review

Exhibit D

How much do Florida family law attorneys cost?

Typical fee schedule

Florida · Family Law

Fee modelHourly / Flat Fee

Feequoted per petition or matter

Filing costsitemized upfront

Case reviewFree

Illustrative only. Your fee terms are set in a written agreement with your attorney and may include costs and expenses regardless of outcome.

Family Law matters in Florida are usually a flat fee per filing — quoted before you commit, not billed by the hour.

Family law cases in Florida are not handled on contingency. Florida Rule of Professional Conduct 4-1.5(f)(3) — patterned on ABA Model Rule 1.5(d) — prohibits contingent fees in domestic relations matters where the fee is contingent on securing a divorce or on the amount of alimony, support, or property settlement. Florida family law attorneys charge hourly (billed against a retainer) or a flat fee for uncontested matters. Courts may award fees under Fla. Stat. § 61.16 based on relative need and ability to pay.

A good attorney walks through every number at your free consultation — before you sign anything.

Get startedTakes about two minutes. No obligation.

Exhibit E

What your Florida family law compensation can include

A Florida family law recovery is built from several parts. Tap one to see what it covers.

Property Division

Equitable distribution with presumption of equal division under Fla. Stat. § 61.075. Deviations based on 10 statutory factors. Florida homestead exemption interplay is complex.

DearLegal is a legal referral service, not a law firm. We connect individuals with licensed attorneys who can evaluate their case. Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice. Results vary based on individual circumstances.

Exhibit F

Florida family law questions, answered

Still unsure? Tell us what happened and a Florida attorney will review it for free.

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Florida has a 20-day mandatory waiting period from filing before the court can enter a final judgment (Fla. Stat. § 61.19). Uncontested divorces (simplified dissolution if eligible) typically finalize in 30–60 days. Contested cases generally take 6–18 months.

Yes — Florida is a no-fault state. The only grounds under Fla. Stat. § 61.052 are irretrievable breakdown of the marriage or mental incapacity of a spouse for at least 3 years. Fault is generally not a ground but can be relevant to equitable distribution and alimony.

No pre-filing separation is required. Florida only imposes a 20-day waiting period from filing to final judgment under Fla. Stat. § 61.19.

Florida is an equitable distribution state with a presumption of equal division of marital assets and liabilities under Fla. Stat. § 61.075. Deviations are based on 10 statutory factors including contributions, duration, economic circumstances, interruption of careers, contribution to enhancement of marital assets, desire to retain home for children, and intentional dissipation. Separate (non-marital) property is exempt.

Florida uses time-sharing and parental responsibility instead of custody. Under Fla. Stat. § 61.13, shared parental responsibility (joint decision-making) is presumed unless detrimental. Time-sharing schedules are determined under 20 best-interests factors. A 2023 amendment also created a rebuttable presumption of equal time-sharing.

Florida uses the Income Shares model under Fla. Stat. § 61.30. Both parents’ net incomes are applied to the state guideline schedule and prorated. Time-sharing adjustments apply when each parent has 73+ overnights per year, and there are healthcare and childcare adjustments.

Yes. Time-sharing and parental responsibility can be modified on a substantial, material, and unanticipated change in circumstances. Child support requires a 15%+ or $50 change. Alimony modification depends on type — bridge-the-gap is non-modifiable; rehabilitative and durational can be modified on substantial change. Property division is final.