Section 61.075, Florida Statutes

Equitable distribution of marital assets and liabilities.—

(1)In a proceeding for dissolution of marriage, in addition to all other remedies available to a court to do equity between the parties, or in a proceeding for disposition of assets following a dissolution of marriage by a court which lacked jurisdiction over the absent spouse or lacked jurisdiction to dispose of the assets, the court shall set apart to each spouse that spouse’s nonmarital assets and liabilities, and in distributing the marital assets and liabilities between the parties, the court must begin with the premise that the distribution should be equal, unless there is a justification for an unequal distribution based on all relevant factors, including:

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Section 61.071, Florida Statutes

Alimony pendente lite; suit money.—In every proceeding for dissolution of the marriage, a party may claim alimony and suit money in the petition or by motion, and if the petition is well founded, the court shall allow a reasonable sum therefor. If a party in any proceeding for dissolution of marriage claims alimony or suit money in his or her answer or by motion, and the answer or motion is well founded, the court shall allow a reasonable sum therefor.

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Section 61.061, Florida Statutes

Proceedings against nonresidents.—Proceedings may be brought against persons residing out of the state.

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Section 61.052, Florida Statutes

Dissolution of marriage.—

(1)No judgment of dissolution of marriage shall be granted unless one of the following facts appears, which shall be pleaded generally:

(a)The marriage is irretrievably broken.

(b)Mental incapacity of one of the parties. However, no dissolution shall be allowed unless the party alleged to be incapacitated shall have been adjudged incapacitated according to the provisions of s. 744.331 for a preceding period of at least 3 years. Notice of the proceeding for dissolution shall be served upon one of the nearest blood relatives or guardian of the incapacitated person, and the relative or guardian shall be entitled to appear and to be heard upon the issues. If the incapacitated party has a general guardian other than the party bringing the proceeding, the petition and summons shall be served upon the incapacitated party and the guardian; and the guardian shall defend and protect the interests of the incapacitated party. If the incapacitated party has no guardian other than the party bringing the proceeding, the court shall appoint a guardian ad litem to defend and protect the interests of the incapacitated party. However, in all dissolutions of marriage granted on the basis of incapacity, the court may require the petitioner to pay alimony pursuant to the provisions of s. 61.08.

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Section 61.046, Florida Statutes

Definitions.—As used in this chapter, the term:

(1)“Business day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

(2)“Clerk of Court Child Support Collection System” or “CLERC System” means the automated system established pursuant to s. 61.181(2)(b)1., integrating all clerks of court and depositories and through which payment data and State Case Registry data is transmitted to the department’s automated child support enforcement system.

(3)“Department” means the Department of Revenue.

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Section 61.044, Florida Statutes

Certain existing defenses abolished.—The defenses to divorce and legal separation of condonation, collusion, recrimination, and laches are abolished.

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Section 61.043, Florida Statutes

Commencement of a proceeding for dissolution of marriage or for alimony and child support; dissolution questionnaire.—

(1)A proceeding for dissolution of marriage or a proceeding under s. 61.09 shall be commenced by filing in the circuit court a petition entitled “In re the marriage of  , husband, and  , wife.” A copy of the petition together with a copy of a summons shall be served upon the other party to the marriage in the same manner as service of papers in civil actions generally.

(2)Upon filing for dissolution of marriage, the petitioner must complete and file with the clerk of the circuit court an unsigned anonymous informational questionnaire. For purposes of anonymity, completed questionnaires must be kept in a separate file for later distribution by the clerk to researchers from the Florida State University Center for Marriage and Family. These questionnaires must be made available to researchers from the Florida State University Center for Marriage and Family at their request. The actual questionnaire shall be formulated by researchers from Florida State University who shall distribute them to the clerk of the circuit court in each county.

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Section 61.031, Florida Statutes

Dissolution of marriage to be a vinculo.—No dissolution of marriage is from bed and board, but is from bonds of matrimony.

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Section 61.021, Florida Statutes

Residence requirements.—To obtain a dissolution of marriage, one of the parties to the marriage must reside 6 months in the state before the filing of the petition.

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Section 61.011, Florida Statutes

Dissolution in chancery.—Proceedings under this chapter are in chancery.

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