Are You Headed for a Divorce?
Divorce can be a high stakes, complicated process with far reaching consequences for your future. The decisions made in divorce proceedings can impact every aspect of your life — your living arrangement, financial security, time spent with your child(ren), and so much more. At the a law firm of Tampa Family & Divorce Lawyer Mindi Lasley, we focus on safeguarding your rights and promoting your interests in the divorce process.
Many couples and families in Tampa and throughout Hillsborough County rely on divorce attorney Mindi Lasley to help them navigate the personal, logistical, financial, and legal challenges associated with getting a divorce. Clients benefit from her compassionate and supportive approach in dealing with sensitive family matters as well as her seasoned knowledge and long-standing familiarity of the local family court system.
With every divorce case she takes on, Ms. Lasley strives to achieve the best outcome for her clients and makes a concerted effort to resolve disputes through negotiation or mediation whenever possible. When a resolution can be reached amicably, it benefits everyone. This is especially true if there are child(ren) involved.
In the unfortunate instance when a divorce turns contentious, Ms. Lasley will not hesitate to fiercely litigate on your behalf in court while trying to minimize any emotional distress that may befall you or your child(ren).
If you’ve made the difficult decision to end your marriage, or were recently served divorce papers by your spouse, we can help you determine the best way forward.
Divorce Lawyer in Tampa
At Lasley Family Law, we handle all aspects related to your family law case.
Eligibility Requirements for Obtaining a Divorce in Hillsborough County
Under Florida divorce law, two basic criteria must be met before filing for a dissolution of marriage in Hillsborough County. They include:
- You or your spouse must have lived in Florida for at least six months prior to filing for divorce. To prove your residence, you can submit either a valid Florida driver’s license, Florida ID, or Florida voter registration card to the Florida family law court.
- You or your spouse must state that the marriage is “irretrievably broken.” Florida is a “no-fault” divorce state and does not require any other grounds for divorce other than to state that the marriage is truly broken.
Hillsborough County Florida Divorce Court, Thirteenth Judicial Circuit
Tampa divorce cases are held at the Hillsborough County Florida Divorce Court located at 800 E. Twiggs Street. The family law division handles divorce, child custody, alimony, child support, and paternity cases.
Mandatory Parenting Course Requirement in Divorces Involving Children
If there are children involved in your divorce, Hillsborough County requires that you complete a four hour court approved parenting course before your divorce can be granted. If you are the one filing for the divorce, you must complete the class within 45 days of filing the petition. If you were served divorce papers, you have 45 days since receiving the petition to complete the course.
Which Type of Divorce is Right For You?
Every divorcing couple has their own unique relationship dynamic — some are able to maintain a friendship, others are capable of being civil, while others struggle to be in the same room. Whatever your situation, Mindi Lasley, P.A. can find a tailor made solution to fit your needs. Florida provides three different methods for dissolving a marriage. They include: a simplified divorce, uncontested divorce, and contested divorce.
Simplified Dissolution of Divorce: Quick and Painless
For couples who want a quick, painless, low-cost option for ending a marriage, Florida divorce law offers a process called a “simplified dissolution of divorce.”
To qualify for a simplified divorce, you and your spouse must meet the following criteria:
- one of you has lived in FL for the past six months;
- agree that the marriage is irretrievably broken;
- have no minor children;
- agree on division of assets and debts;
- agree not to seek alimony;
- waive the right to a trial and appeal
At Mindi Lasley, P.A., we help you file all the necessary documents correctly, including the petition for divorce and financial affidavit. After we prepare the final forms, we will file them with the clerk and schedule a final hearing with a judge. After the judge reviews the forms, you will receive a final judgment of divorce usually within 20 days.
Uncontested Divorce: Amicable and Cost-Effective
If you and your spouse are in mutual agreement about how to resolve all relevant conflicts in your marriage, you would be a good candidate for an uncontested divorce.
Tampa Family & Divorce Lawyer Mindi Lasley can draft a martial settlement that incorporates your shared decisions on division of assets, spousal support, child custody and time sharing, a co-parenting plan, and child support. If you sign off on the final settlement, the only thing left to do is attend a hearing in which a judge will give his/her stamp of approval and finalize the divorce.
An uncontested divorce can generally be resolved in 60 days. In contrast, a regular divorce can take anywhere from six months to two years. The filing fee for an uncontested divorce in Hillsborough County Florida is approximately $410.
Avoid Court With A Collaborative Divorce
Collaborative divorce emphasizes cooperation versus litigation, and allows you and your husband or wife to set forth your own parameters for how you want to end your marriage — giving you control over the outcome, not a judge. Click here to learn more about Collaborative Divorce.
Contested Divorce: Adversarial Litigation
A contested divorce is necessary if you and your spouse are unable to reasonably and fairly reach an agreement on the key issues.
Learn more about filing for a Contested Divorce here.
Tampa Family & Divorce Lawyer Mindi Lasley can help you initiate a contested divorce in Hillsborough County by preparing and filing a lawsuit or Petition for Dissolution of Marriage with the Clerk of the Circuit Court. In this document, you will have the opportunity to outline any specific claims you have regarding the division of marital assets and debts, alimony, child custody and timesharing, and child support.
Once the petition has been filed, the Clerk will issue a summons directing either a Sheriff or process server to hand deliver the petition to your spouse. Your spouse will have 20 days to respond or file a petition of his/her own.
Case Management Conference
At the moment you file for divorce, the clerk will schedule a case management conference to be held in front of a family law judge approximately 90 days after the date you filed. The court will lay out certain tasks that need to be completed before the conference date including the exchange of financial affidavits and mandatory disclosure documents, filing of child support guidelines, a parenting plan, and attendance and completion of a parenting course.
To learn more about the Court Process click here.
For more information see below: