Pembroke Pines residents file for divorce through the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit Court, which handles all family law matters for Broward County. The process begins with a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage, which the filing spouse submits along with financial affidavits and, if minor children are involved, a proposed parenting plan. The other spouse is then formally served and has a set period to respond. If both parties agree on all issues, the case can proceed relatively quickly. When there are unresolved disputes, the case enters a discovery phase where both sides exchange financial documentation before proceeding to mediation or a contested hearing.
One detail that surprises many filers is the mandatory disclosure requirement. Florida law requires both parties in a divorce to produce specific financial documents regardless of whether the case is contested. Tax returns and bank records, along with documentation of debts and liabilities, all must be exchanged within set timeframes. Failure to comply can result in sanctions and creates delays that drag out the timeline. Working with Brodzki Jacobs, a divorce attorney Pembroke Pines residents trust to manage this process, means the disclosure phase moves forward correctly, without missteps that give the other side procedural leverage.
