Posts by LegalAtoms

Recently updated on December 22nd, 2025 at 10:44 amOverview The statute of limitations defines how long you have to file a small claims case in Florida after an incident occurs. Missing that deadline means forfeiting your right to recover money, no matter how valid the claim. In Florida, these deadlines vary depending on the type…

Recently updated on December 22nd, 2025 at 11:29 amOverview Florida’s residency requirement is the legal gateway to filing for divorce (dissolution of marriage) in the state. Under Florida Statutes §61.021, at least one spouse must have been a resident of Florida for the six months immediately preceding the filing of the petition. “Resident” here means…

Recently updated on December 22nd, 2025 at 11:01 amOverview In Florida, “child custody” is addressed through two related concepts: parental responsibility (who makes major decisions for the child) and time-sharing (the schedule for where the child lives and when). Courts start from the public policy that children benefit from frequent and continuing contact with both…

Recently updated on December 22nd, 2025 at 11:18 amOverview The Florida small claims pretrial conference is the pivotal first court appearance in nearly every small claims case. After you file your Statement of Claim and the defendant is properly served, the court schedules this conference to determine whether the dispute can be resolved quickly—often through…

Recently updated on December 22nd, 2025 at 11:13 amOverview In Florida, marital property is divided under the doctrine of equitable distribution, which means the court aims for a fair—not automatically 50/50—allocation of assets and debts acquired during the marriage. The judge starts with the presumption that an equal split is fair, then considers statutory factors…

Recently updated on December 22nd, 2025 at 10:47 amOverview A simplified dissolution of marriage is Florida’s most streamlined way to obtain a divorce when—and only when—both spouses qualify and fully agree on every material issue. It is designed for cooperative, low-conflict circumstances: no minor or dependent children (and no pregnancy), no request for alimony by…

Recently updated on December 22nd, 2025 at 11:16 amOverview Serving small claims papers in Florida is one of the most crucial steps in the entire process. Service ensures that the defendant — the person or business being sued — receives formal notice of the lawsuit and has an opportunity to respond. Without valid service, the…

Recently updated on December 22nd, 2025 at 11:08 amOverview Filing for divorce (called a “dissolution of marriage”) in Florida without a lawyer is doable when you approach it methodically and rely on the state’s official forms and straightforward procedures. Florida follows a no-fault framework: most petitions assert that the marriage is irretrievably broken, and the…

Recently updated on December 22nd, 2025 at 11:08 amOverview Florida recognizes only two legal grounds for dissolving a marriage: that the marriage is irretrievably broken, or that one spouse has been adjudicated mentally incapacitated for at least the preceding three years. In practice, nearly all petitions proceed on the no-fault ground (“irretrievably broken”), which allows…

Recently updated on December 22nd, 2025 at 11:15 amOverview Filing a small claims case in Florida involves choosing the correct county and court for your dispute, preparing the required forms, paying the filing fees, serving the defendant, and attending the required pre-trial and trial hearings. These cases are designed to be faster, simpler and less…