We see it in the news and magazines all of the time. Publicly available divorce documents accuse a celebrity of secretly supporting a child born out of wedlock. Sports figures’ assets and judgment become public spectacles. Politicians and their spouses lob accusations at each other for all to see. Businessmen’s private details and dirty laundry end up as front page stories.
Fortunately, your divorce does not need to be in the public eye.
In almost any Florida family law matter that involves financial issues, such as child support, alimony, division of property and debt, or attorney’s fees, parties are required to exchange and file Florida Family Law Financial Affidavits. Financial Affidavits outline each party’s source(s) of income, as well as expenses, assets, and liabilities.
And, when they are filed, they become part of the public record, accessible by anyone.
Most people, for any number reasons, do not want their financial profile to become public. And yet, when people go through the traditional litigated divorce, that’s exactly what happens.
But it does not need to be that way.
