Florida
Family Law
Marriage
Adoption
Divorce
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Marriage
Effective January,
1999, Florida couples will have to consider the
consequences of divorce before they can get married.
Prospective brides
and grooms are now required to read a 16-page
booklet which describes situations such as how
a court would divide their assets and information
about child support payments.
The good side of
all this is that licenses will be available for
$56 rather than $88.50, if a couple attends a
four-hour course to improve communication, financial
and parenting skills before marriage.
Court Clerks are
allowed by law to waive the three-day waiting
period in the event of a "hardship"
case.
ID
Requirement:
Picture ID such as a driver's license and your
Social Security card or a valid passport number
or I-94 card.
Residency
Requirement: Do
not have to be a resident of Florida. The waiting
period does not apply to non-Florida residents.
Waiting
Period:
No waiting period for Florida residents have both
completed a state sanctioned marriage preparation
course within the last 12 months. There is a three-day
waiting period for Florida residents who have
not taken the course.
If
Divorced:
If previously married, the date of divorce or
date of spouse's death must be supplied. If the
divorce or spouse's death occurred within the
past 30 days, a certified copy of the divorce
decree or death certificate is required.
Fees:
$88.50 - cash only. Couples who have completed
a state-sanctioned marriage preparation course
within the past 12 months are entitled to a discount
of $32.50.
Other
Tests:
No blood test requirement.
Under
18:
If an individual is under 18 years of age, but
older than 16 years of age, a marriage license
can be obtained with parental consent. If a parent
has sole custody or the other parent is dead,
the permission of one parent is sufficient. If
a person is under the age of 16, the marriage
license has to be issued by a county judge, with
or without parental permission. If a minor's parents
are both deceased and there is not an appointed
guardian, he/she may apply for a marriage license.
A minor who has been previously married may also
apply for a license. A minor who swears that they
have a child or are expecting a baby, can apply
for a license if the pregnancy has been verfied
by a written statement from a licensed physician.
A county court judge may at his/her discretion
issue or not issue a license for them to marry.
Proxy
Marriages:
Not allowed in Florida.
Miscellaneous:
License is valid for 60 days.
Copy
of Certificate of Marriage: Department of Children
and Families
Division of Vital Statistics
P. O. Box 210
Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042
(904) 359-6955
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Adoption
Adoption
in Florida
Children's
Home Society of Floirda
Children
Available for Adoption
Adoption is the legal procedure by
which a child becomes, through court action, part
of a family other than that of his birth parents.
Adoption means providing for and undertaking the
care of a child to whom they will have the same
obligations as to a child naturally born to them.
Health
and Human Services
Read more on Florida Adoptions at My Florida.com
Every prospective adoptive parent must complete
the Model Approach to Partnership in Parenting
training (MAPP). The class usually meets once
a week for 10 weeks. Case workers will visit your
home one or more times to do a home study to help
determine if you would be a good prospective parent
for a foster child and what kind of child might
fit your family. As part of the home study, the
case worker will contact your friends and employers
for character references.
You will be asked to see your doctor for a physical
examination to determine your state of health.
The process will be completed when you finalize
the adoption before a judge. Your child will receive
a new birth certificate with your last name on
it as your child’s last name. Then you and your
child are a family in the eyes of the law.
Florida Statutes on Adoption
Take a look at Title VI: Civil Practice and Procedure
(Chapter 63 Adoption)
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Divorce
Divorce
in Florida
Divorce
Office of Vital Statistics has records of Florida
divorces dating from June 1927. Divorces occurring
before this date are only available from the clerk
of the circuit court in the county where the divorce
was granted.
The fee for a divorce report is $5.00 for one
certification and $4.00 for each additional certification
of the same record when ordered at the same time.
Office of Vital Statistics
Post Office Box 210
Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042
- Free
court-approved divorce forms and help
- Domestic
and Repeat Violence
- Adoption
- Name
change
- Grandparent
Visitation Forms
- Paternity
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Florida
Statues on Dissolution Of Marriage; Support; Custody
Take a look at Title VI: Civil Practice and
Procedure (Chapter 61:Dissolution Of Marriage;
Support; Custody)
Domestic
Violence
Florida Department of Law Enforcement
Safehouse
of Seminole
Domestic Violence Information
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