Broward County Simplified Dissolution of Marriage Attorney
Florida offers two paths to ending a marriage, and for couples who qualify, the simplified dissolution of marriage is the faster, lower-cost option. Broward County simplified dissolution of marriage attorney Sandra Bonfiglio helps qualifying couples move through this process cleanly, without the procedural friction that comes from improperly filed paperwork or incomplete financial disclosure. Done right, a simplified dissolution can resolve a marriage in weeks rather than months. Done poorly, it creates gaps that surface years later over retirement accounts, property titles, or debt obligations.
The simplified process is only available to couples who meet a specific set of conditions. Both spouses must agree that the marriage is irretrievably broken. There can be no minor or dependent children of the marriage. Neither spouse can be pregnant. Both spouses must be willing to appear together at a final hearing. And both spouses must agree to waive any right to alimony, now and in the future. If all of those conditions are satisfied, the simplified dissolution allows a couple to use a streamlined set of forms and a joint filing process, bypassing much of the litigation structure that applies to standard divorce. If any one of those conditions is not met, the couple must use the regular dissolution process instead.
That distinction matters in practice. Couples sometimes pursue the simplified path without fully understanding what they are waiving, and they later find themselves without recourse on financial support issues that the agreement permanently closed. Broward County has a well-established family court system, and Seventeenth Judicial Circuit judges who handle these matters expect filings that are accurate and complete. Working with a simplified dissolution attorney in Fort Lauderdale means the filing reflects the couple’s actual circumstances and holds up over time.
What Makes the Simplified Dissolution Different from a Standard Divorce
Florida’s simplified dissolution procedure exists in a narrow lane. It was designed for short marriages with no children, limited assets, and genuine mutual agreement. It is not a shortcut for complicated situations dressed up to look simple. Understanding exactly where the line sits between the two processes helps couples make an informed choice rather than an optimistic one.
In a standard dissolution, one spouse files a petition and the other responds. Discovery may follow. Financial affidavits are required. If the couple reaches agreement, a marital settlement agreement memorializes those terms and becomes enforceable as a court order. The standard process accommodates disagreement along the way and has procedural tools for resolving it.
The simplified process requires both spouses to file a joint petition from the start. There is no service of process. Both spouses sign the financial disclosures together. Both must attend the final hearing, and the judge will ask each of them directly whether they understand the alimony waiver they are making. The entire process moves on a jointly cooperative footing. Any deviation from that, one spouse who becomes uncooperative, a financial detail that creates a dispute, a pregnancy that was not initially disclosed, pulls the case out of the simplified track immediately.
For the couples who genuinely qualify, the simplified path removes significant cost and delay. The filing fees at the Broward County Clerk of Courts are the same regardless of which dissolution form is used, but the legal time involved in a simplified dissolution is substantially less. Attorney involvement still adds real value, particularly in reviewing the financial affidavits, confirming proper asset disclosure, and flagging anything in the couple’s financial picture that could complicate what looks like a clean filing.
What the Simplified Dissolution Covers and Where Careful Drafting Still Matters
- Property division agreement: The couple must reach a full agreement on how marital assets and debts will be divided before filing. Florida’s equitable distribution framework starts from an equal split, but the simplified process allows spouses to negotiate any division they both accept, including trades between the house, vehicles, retirement accounts, and joint debt.
- Alimony waiver: Both spouses must waive alimony permanently and mutually. This waiver cannot be revisited later. For spouses with significant income disparities or a longer marriage, this waiver deserves careful thought before the petition is signed.
- Financial disclosure: Both spouses must complete and file financial affidavits. The affidavit covers income, expenses, assets, and liabilities. Incomplete or inaccurate affidavits can expose a final agreement to challenge.
- Real property: If the couple owns a home or other real estate, a deed transferring title must be executed in coordination with the dissolution. The court order alone does not transfer title. This step is sometimes overlooked in self-filed cases, leaving title issues unresolved after the divorce is granted.
- Vehicle and account transfers: Titles to vehicles, bank accounts, and investment accounts each require separate transfer steps outside the court proceeding. A dissolution agreement should specify who gets each asset clearly enough that those transfers can actually be completed.
- Retirement accounts: Even in a simplified dissolution, if a retirement account is being divided, a Qualified Domestic Relations Order may be required to accomplish the transfer without triggering tax penalties. This procedural step exists outside the dissolution case itself and often requires coordination with the retirement plan administrator.
- Debt obligations: Joint debts assigned to one spouse by agreement are still obligations the other spouse may be liable for to the creditor. A well-drafted agreement addresses how the parties will handle that exposure and what happens if the assigned spouse defaults.
- Name restoration: A spouse who wants to restore a former name can request it as part of the simplified dissolution. This should be included in the petition if desired, because adding it after the final judgment requires a separate legal process.
Filing in Broward County: The Practical Process
The Broward County Clerk of Courts handles dissolution filings through the family division. The Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, which covers Broward County, processes these cases at the main courthouse in Fort Lauderdale on SE 6th Street. Couples using the simplified dissolution procedure file their joint petition, financial affidavits, and marital settlement agreement together. The clerk assigns a case number, and the case is scheduled for a final hearing before a circuit court judge or a general magistrate.
Both spouses must appear at the final hearing. There is no provision for one spouse to appear and the other to be excused. The judge will review the filings, confirm that both parties understand what they are agreeing to, specifically address the alimony waiver, and ask whether either party is pregnant. If everything is in order, the judge signs the Final Judgment of Simplified Dissolution of Marriage. The clerk enters the judgment, and the divorce is final at that point.
The most common reasons simplified dissolution cases stall or get rejected at the clerk’s office involve incomplete financial affidavits, missing signatures, or forms that are technically outdated. Florida’s Supreme Court periodically updates its family law forms. Using a current, correctly completed set of forms before filing saves a trip back to the courthouse and avoids unnecessary delay. Before the final hearing, it is also worth confirming that both spouses are still in agreement and that no circumstances have changed, a new pregnancy, a newly discovered asset, a change of heart about the alimony waiver, because those changes require a different filing path.
Attorneys handling simplified dissolutions in Broward County typically review the couple’s financial picture, prepare or review the financial affidavits, draft or review the marital settlement agreement, confirm the eligibility conditions are satisfied, and coordinate the final hearing logistics. That preparation prevents the rework that comes from filing before the case is actually ready.
Why Sandra Bonfiglio, P.A. for Simplified Dissolution in Broward County
Sandra Bonfiglio, P.A. is a Fort Lauderdale family law firm that practices family law exclusively, with a particular focus on uncontested divorce, mediation, and amicable resolution. That focus matters in a simplified dissolution context because the work requires precision and attention to financial detail, not courtroom strategy. The firm’s approach pairs practical legal advice with careful drafting, because a vague or incomplete dissolution agreement creates the very disputes an amicable process is supposed to avoid.
The firm serves clients throughout Broward County and is located at 105 South Avenue of the Arts in Fort Lauderdale, close to the courthouse where Seventeenth Judicial Circuit family cases are heard. Clients who come in with straightforward situations get direct, efficient service. Clients who come in thinking their situation is straightforward get an honest assessment of whether it actually is, which is sometimes the most valuable thing a simplified dissolution attorney in Broward County can provide. The first 15 minutes of a consultation are free.
Questions About Simplified Dissolution in Broward County
Who qualifies for a simplified dissolution of marriage in Florida?
Florida’s simplified dissolution is available only to couples who meet all of the following: both agree the marriage is irretrievably broken, there are no minor or dependent children of the marriage, neither spouse is pregnant, both are willing to appear together at the final hearing, and both agree to permanently waive alimony. All conditions must be met. If even one is not satisfied, the couple must file for dissolution under the standard procedure.
How long does the simplified dissolution process typically take in Broward County?
Once a complete and accurate set of documents is filed with the Broward County Clerk of Courts, the timeline to a final hearing depends on the court’s calendar and case volume. Many simplified dissolutions in Broward County are resolved within a few weeks to a couple of months of filing, which is considerably faster than a contested standard dissolution. Completeness of the initial filing is the single biggest variable that affects the timeline.
Do both spouses need their own attorney for a simplified dissolution?
Florida law does not require either spouse to have an attorney. However, one attorney cannot represent both spouses simultaneously. Some couples choose to have one spouse work with an attorney who prepares the documents, while the other spouse reviews them independently. Others use no attorney at all. The risk in the second approach is that financial disclosure errors or overlooked assets in the agreement become binding once the judgment is entered. An attorney representing one spouse in a simplified dissolution does not advocate against the other; the role is primarily preparation and review.
Can we use the simplified dissolution if we own a house together?
Yes, but owning real property adds a layer of complexity that needs to be handled carefully. The dissolution judgment itself does not transfer title to real estate. A separately executed deed must be recorded to accomplish the ownership transfer. If one spouse is buying out the other, that typically involves a refinance to remove the departing spouse from the mortgage. The marital settlement agreement should specify clearly what is happening with the property, and the deed work should be coordinated before or concurrent with the dissolution filing.
What happens if we discover an asset after the simplified dissolution is finalized?
Florida courts retain jurisdiction to address fraud or intentional misrepresentation in the financial disclosure process. If a spouse concealed an asset that was not disclosed in the financial affidavit, the other spouse can seek relief. However, assets that were simply forgotten or overlooked in a mutual agreement are harder to address after the fact. This is one reason careful financial disclosure before filing matters, particularly for couples with retirement accounts, stock compensation, or business interests that might not be immediately obvious.
Is the alimony waiver in a simplified dissolution permanent?
Yes. Both spouses must waive alimony as a condition of using the simplified dissolution process, and that waiver is permanent. Neither spouse can return to court later to request spousal support, regardless of a change in circumstances. This distinguishes the simplified dissolution from a standard dissolution where alimony may be left open, reserved, or structured with modification rights. For a spouse who earns significantly less or who has been out of the workforce, this is a consequential decision that warrants a direct conversation before any petition is signed.
Can a simplified dissolution be used if we were married for a long time but have no children and agree on everything?
Yes, the length of the marriage is not itself a disqualifying factor. What disqualifies a couple is the presence of minor or dependent children, pregnancy, or unwillingness to waive alimony. A long marriage with no children, no pregnancy, and mutual agreement on all financial issues, including the alimony waiver, may still qualify. The practical concern for a long marriage is whether the financial picture is genuinely simple enough to be handled through the simplified process. Longer marriages often involve retirement accounts, deferred compensation, and accumulated debt that benefit from closer scrutiny before signing.
What if one of us changes our mind before the final hearing?
Either spouse can withdraw from the simplified dissolution process before the final judgment is entered. If that happens, the case does not simply disappear. The dissolution would need to be refiled as a standard dissolution if one spouse still wants to proceed. The joint nature of the simplified process means that it requires continuous mutual cooperation all the way through the final hearing. A breakdown in cooperation at any stage ends the simplified track.
Do we both have to live in Broward County to file here?
Florida requires that at least one spouse have been a Florida resident for at least six months before filing for dissolution. The filing can be made in the county where either spouse resides. If one spouse lives in Broward County and the other lives out of state or in another Florida county, the Broward County Clerk of Courts would still be the appropriate place to file if the Broward-resident spouse is initiating the joint petition.
What is the difference between a marital settlement agreement in a standard dissolution and the agreement in a simplified dissolution?
Functionally, both are written agreements between the spouses that resolve the financial and property issues of the marriage and become enforceable as part of the court’s final judgment. The simplified dissolution agreement is necessarily narrower because the process itself excludes children and alimony. A standard dissolution marital settlement agreement may address parenting plans, child support, alimony, and a broader range of financial complexity. The drafting standards for clarity and enforceability apply equally to both.
Broward County Simplified Dissolution Representation Across the Region
Sandra Bonfiglio, P.A. represents clients in simplified dissolution and uncontested divorce matters throughout Broward County and the surrounding communities it encompasses. From Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood to Pompano Beach and Deerfield Beach, and across the western suburbs including Plantation, Davie, Cooper City, and Weston, the firm works with couples who want to resolve their marriage cleanly and move forward without unnecessary litigation. The firm also serves clients in Miramar, Hallandale Beach, Dania Beach, Lauderhill, Lauderdale Lakes, North Lauderdale, Tamarac, Margate, Coconut Creek, and Coral Springs. Beyond Broward County, the firm extends representation to clients in Boca Raton, southern Palm Beach County, and the St. Augustine and St. Johns County areas. Wherever you are in the region, if your situation qualifies for the simplified dissolution path, the process centers on Broward County’s Seventeenth Judicial Circuit family court in Fort Lauderdale.
Speak with a Broward County Simplified Dissolution of Marriage Lawyer
Sandra Bonfiglio, P.A. offers a free 15-minute initial consultation for couples considering the simplified dissolution process. A Broward County simplified dissolution of marriage lawyer at the firm can review your situation, confirm whether you qualify, explain what the process requires, and give you an honest picture of what careful preparation looks like before you file. If your circumstances turn out to be more complex than expected, the firm handles standard uncontested divorce and mediation as well, so there is no need to start over elsewhere. Call to schedule your consultation and get a clear answer about the path that actually fits your situation.
