Martin County Divorce Attorneys
Guiding Clients Through Family Law Matters
Divorce can be difficult even when you know it’s the right choice for you in the long run. However, having a compassionate family law lawyer by your side can make the process easier for you and your family. That’s why we encourage you to contact Treasure Coast Legal for assistance with your divorce case.
Our caring attorneys have years of experience handling a variety of family law issues for clients throughout Florida. Whether you’re going through a contested divorce or have questions about alimony, property division, and other complex problems, we’re here to help. Call our Stuart family law firm today to schedule an initial consultation with an experienced divorce attorney.
What Should You Know Before Filing for Divorce in Florida?
Before you file for divorce in this state, you should make sure you’re aware of the legal process to expect. First, you should know that Florida is a no-fault divorce state, which means neither spouse has to prove wrongdoing to file for divorce. Instead, it is enough for one or both parties to state that the marriage is irretrievably broken. If you and your spouse can agree on this – and one of you has lived in Florida for at least six months – you can file for a dissolution of marriage.
The next step is to consider any family law issues that apply to your circumstances, as you must agree on how to handle them for your divorce to go as smoothly as possible. These family law matters can include:
- Spousal support
- Property division
- Child support
- Child custody
- Asset Division
- Debt Division
- Visitation
If you and your spouse can agree on these important issues, you will have an uncontested divorce. This legal process is typically faster and less stressful than the alternative, which is a contested divorce in which no amount of negotiating can result in an agreement. When you’re facing a contested divorce, you can expect to go to court so the judge can make decisions for you when it comes to custody, financial support, alimony, and more.
Our Stuart divorce lawyers have successfully handled numerous contested and uncontested divorces. This means you can rely on our legal team to protect your best interests throughout your case, whether you end up in court or use mediation to settle outside the courtroom. If you’re interested in learning how our family law attorneys can benefit your case, call our Stuart law office for a free consultation.
What Assets Will You Get in the Divorce?
One of the most common family law issues you must deal with during divorce is property division. Florida uses the equitable distribution model, which means your marital assets are divided fairly but not always equally. Instead of splitting your marital property in half like a community property state would, a Florida court will consider several factors before dividing it.
These factors typically include each spouse’s contributions to the marriage, their current financial resources, and possible future needs. Your marital debts will be distributed based on similar factors to ensure one spouse doesn’t end up with an unfair share of debts they might struggle to pay off in the future. Skilled Stuart divorce lawyers can give you an idea of what to expect during the property division step, so call our law office today for legal help.
Another consideration to make is whether your family law case will involve spousal support. This will depend on how long the marriage lasted, the financial disparity between you and your spouse, and each spouse’s financial needs. The types of spousal support available in this state include:
- Temporary, which is meant to help with bills during the divorce process and ends when the divorce is final
- Bridge-the-gap, which is short-term support meant to help cover expenses for two years or less
- Rehabilitative, which provides financial support to one spouse for up to five years while they learn new job skills or get an education that allows them to become financially independent
- Durational, which is paid for a set amount of time-based on the length of the marriage
Experienced family law attorneys can tell you if you should expect to pay or receive alimony after your Florida divorce. When you hire our trusted Stuart legal team for your case, we’ll carefully review the details of your marriage and financial situation to determine if spousal support will be necessary in your case. If you’re worried about this family law matter, please contact our Stuart office today to get the answers you need during your free consultation.
Do You Have Minor Children with Your Spouse?
The legal aspects of your divorce may be more complicated if there are children involved. The court requires you and your spouse to make arrangements regarding where the children will live and how much financial support they will have from each parent. Fortunately, our Stuart divorce lawyers can assist you with coming to an agreement on child custody and child support before your final hearing in your family law case.
In particular, you’ll have to determine if you and your spouse will share physical custody of your children, which means you’ll both be legally entitled to spend time with them and take care of their needs. If you want your children to live with you or spend the majority of time under your care, you can pursue unequal timesharing. You’ll need help from an attorney who will focus on convincing the court that this arrangement is in the best interests of the children, especially if they’d be in danger with the other parent due to a history of domestic violence, abuse, substance abuse, or neglect.
Once custody matters are handled, you must address child support. In most cases, the parent who spends the least time with their children is expected to financially support them by sending payments to the other parent. The amount they must send will depend on several factors, including the income and expenses of each parent. A skilled attorney can inform you which parent will pay child support and how much the monthly payments will be, so call us for an initial consultation at our law firm in Stuart, FL.
Why Should You Contact Our Martin County Divorce Lawyers?
The attorneys at Treasure Coast Legal have provided legal guidance on family law cases to countless clients throughout Martin County, Palm Beach County, and nearby counties. So, whether you live in Stuart, Jensen Beach, Palm City, Port St Lucie, Fort Pierce, or surrounding areas, our attorneys would be happy to help you make informed decisions on your case.
When you contact our Stuart law firm for an initial consultation, you’ll have the personal attention of an attorney who will take the time to understand the intricacies of your case before coming up with the best strategy. When we represent you in your family law case, we will provide you with answers to your legal questions and work tirelessly to come up with the best possible solution for your family. If you’re ready to speak with a knowledgeable attorney about your case, contact our Stuart law firm at 772-248-9250.