Ending a Marriage

Divorce and Annulment

Unfortunately, sometimes marriages fail. If you are in a marriage that is failing, you are likely experiencing a range of emotions and beginning to worry about what lies ahead of you. One of the first decisions you will have to make is whether to pursue a legal termination of your marriage. The most common means to legally end a marriage in Florida is dissolution of marriage, also known as divorce. However, in some cases, you may be able to pursue an annulment.

Divorce is the process through which you will ask a court to acknowledge your marriage, terminate the marriage, and determine all of your related rights, whether related to children or finances. Annulment, however, is a process by which you ask a court to declare that your marriage was invalid. While divorce is common and anyone can terminate a marriage by divorce, annulment is only available in very extreme circumstances. When you seek to terminate your marriage it is important to consult with an attorney who understands the law related to both divorce and annulment.

If you are eligible to terminate your marriage through annulment, the court will declare that your marriage was invalid and you and your former spouse will go back to being single and will be treated as if the marriage never existed. In an annulment, the court will not make any financial decisions or decisions related to children.

If you pursue a termination of your marriage through divorce, there are many issues the court may have to decide, depending on the unique facts of your situation. The categories of issues the court may have to decide include parenting issues, equitable distribution (dividing your assets and liabilities), alimony (spousal support), child support, responsibility for attorney’s fees, tax related issues, and any other matter arising our of your marriage. Please continue to read through our website to learn a little more about each of these categories.

Just as it is important to consult with a lawyer who understands the best way to terminate your marriage, it is important to consult with a lawyer who understands all aspects of a divorce and who has experience identifying issues which should be addressed in your case. Our attorneys are experienced and skilled in doing all of these things.