Filing for divorce in Broward County begins with a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage, which must be submitted to the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit Court along with mandatory financial disclosure documents. Once the petition is served on the other spouse, Florida law requires a waiting period before the court can enter a final judgment. Both parties must complete financial affidavits that accurately reflect income and financial liabilities. For anyone seeking a divorce attorney Fort Lauderdale, understanding this procedural sequence early prevents missteps that can delay the case or create complications during final hearings.
Most Broward County divorce cases pass through mandatory mediation before reaching a judge. Mediation gives both parties an opportunity to resolve disputed issues with the help of a neutral third party, and courts strongly prefer settlements that come out of that process to contested trials. When mediation fails to produce an agreement, the case proceeds to a hearing where both sides present evidence and the judge rules on unresolved matters. The entire timeline, from filing to final judgment, can range from a few months for an uncontested case to well over a year when significant disputes remain.
