Uncontested Divorce Attorney Fort Lauderdale | Carolann Mazza, P.A.

Originally published: June 2026 | Reviewed by Carolann Mazza

An uncontested divorce in Florida allows both spouses to end their marriage by written agreement — without a judge deciding property, support, or parenting. 

Carolann Mazza, P.A., a Fort Lauderdale non-litigation family law firm practicing since 2001, drafts marital settlement agreements, parenting plans, and all required Florida Family Law Forms so the final filing is complete, enforceable, and approved without procedural delays. 

Couples who reach full agreement spend less, finish faster, and keep every decision in their own hands.

Key Takeaways

• A Florida uncontested divorce requires a full written agreement on all issues before filing under Florida Statute § 61.052
• At least one spouse must satisfy the 6-month Florida residency requirement under Florida Statute § 61.021
• Carolann Mazza, P.A., drafts and reviews marital settlement agreements, parenting plans, financial affidavits, and Broward County filing packets
• Uncontested cases supported by out-of-court settlement or collaborative process typically resolve in 3 to 6 months.
• Carolann Mazza is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator and non-litigation family law attorney licensed in Florida and Texas since 2001

Tired of uncertainty and ready to move forward on your own terms? Contact Carolann Mazza, P.A., to map a clear, agreement-first path through your uncontested divorce in Fort Lauderdale. Call (954) 527-4604.

What Is an Uncontested Divorce in Florida?

An uncontested divorce in Florida is a dissolution of marriage in which both spouses reach a full written agreement on all issues before filing — including property division, debt allocation, alimony, child support, and time-sharing — and then present the court with a completed marital settlement agreement for judicial approval under Florida Statute § 61.052. 

The court does not decide outcomes in an uncontested case. The spouses do.

Florida dissolves all marriages under the irretrievably broken standard established in Florida Statute § 61.052. That standard applies equally whether the case is contested or uncontested. 

The procedural difference is the agreement: a properly drafted marital settlement agreement eliminates the need for evidentiary hearings, discovery disputes, and judicial rulings on individual issues. 

When the agreement is complete, the judge reviews and approves it, then enters a Final Judgment of Dissolution.

Carolann Mazza, P.A., works exclusively with couples who resolve their divorce outside of court. The practice drafts and reviews every required document so the Broward County filing is accurate, complete, and ready for judicial approval.

What Are the Two Types of Uncontested Divorce in Florida?

Florida provides two separate uncontested divorce tracks, and the right one depends on whether children are involved and whether alimony is at issue.

Track	Eligibility	Key Requirements
Simplified Dissolution of Marriage	No minor children, no alimony, both parties agree	Both spouses sign the petition together; they appear at the final hearing
Standard Uncontested Dissolution	Any situation, including children and alimony	Marital settlement agreement + parenting plan + financial affidavits

The Simplified Dissolution of Marriage is the faster track. Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure Form 12.901(a) governs the simplified process, and both spouses must appear together at the final hearing. The Simplified Dissolution track is not available when minor children are involved or when either spouse seeks alimony.

The standard uncontested dissolution applies to all situations in which both spouses have reached a full written agreement. 

Cases involving minor children require a parenting plan that satisfies Florida Statute § 61.13, which governs time-sharing, parental responsibility, and child support. 

Carolann Mazza, P.A., prepares parenting plans and child support worksheets so the filing meets Broward County’s judicial approval standards.

How Does Out-of-Court Settlement Produce an Uncontested Filing?

An out-of-court settlement is the process by which spouses negotiate and finalize all divorce terms privately — without entering Broward County’s 17th Judicial Circuit. 

The final product of a completed out-of-court settlement is a signed marital settlement agreement that becomes the uncontested filing.

Carolann Mazza, P.A., uses three distinct out-of-court pathways to help couples reach a final agreement.

Collaborative Divorce structures the process through a signed participation agreement under Florida Statute § 61.57. Both spouses retain collaboratively trained attorneys, and joint sessions produce a written settlement that converts directly into the uncontested filing. 

The collaborative divorce process is governed by Florida’s Collaborative Law Process Act, Florida Statutes §§ 61.55 to 61.58.

Out-of-Court Settlement Negotiation works for couples who are ready to negotiate terms directly, with Carolann Mazza guiding the process, identifying legal issues, and drafting the final marital settlement agreement without filing anything in Broward County’s 17th Judicial Circuit.

Unbundled legal services allow couples who have already reached an agreement to retain the firm for specific, limited tasks — reviewing and correcting the marital settlement agreement, completing required Florida Family Law Forms, or preparing the Broward County filing packet — without full-service representation.

All three paths end at the same destination: a signed, court-ready marital settlement agreement filed as an uncontested dissolution of marriage.

What Does an Uncontested Divorce Cost in Fort Lauderdale?

An uncontested divorce in Fort Lauderdale has three categories of costs: court filing fees, attorney fees, and case-specific expenses. Every uncontested case begins with the same court filing fee, but the total cost varies based on whether children are involved, how complex the marital estate is, and the type of legal support both spouses choose.

Cost Category	Amount (2026)	Notes
Broward County filing fee	$409	Paid to the Broward Clerk of Courts at petition submission
Summons issuance fee	$10	Paid at filing; required for service of process
Service of process	$40–$150	Sheriff service $40–$60; private process server $75–$150
Attorney fees — uncontested with agreement	$2,500–$5,000	Full-service representation; document drafting through filing
Unbundled legal review	$500–$1,500	Limited-scope review of a self-drafted settlement agreement
Parent Education course (cases with children)	$15–$50 per parent	Required under Florida Statute § 61.21 before final judgment

The Broward County Clerk of Courts publishes the current dissolution fee schedule at browardclerk.org. 

Couples who cannot afford the $409 filing fee may file an Application for Determination of Civil Indigent Status with the clerk to request a fee waiver.

Attorney fees for uncontested divorces in Fort Lauderdale typically range from $2,500 to $5,000 for full-service representation — covering document drafting, financial affidavit preparation, parenting plan preparation where children are involved, and the complete Broward County filing packet. 

South Florida family law attorneys charge $325 to $525 per hour in 2026, according to current market data. Couples with straightforward finances and no minor children who have already negotiated their agreement may qualify for unbundled legal review starting at $500 to $1,500, which covers document correction and filing preparation without full representation.

Cases involving minor children carry additional required expenses: the Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course under Florida Statute § 61.21 costs $15 to $50 per parent and must be completed before the court enters a Final Judgment. 

Cases with significant retirement assets may also require a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) to divide employer-sponsored retirement accounts, which adds $500 to $1,500 in preparation costs.

Reaching full agreement before filing keeps the total cost predictable. Couples who enter the process without agreement — or who discover disputes mid-process — face mediation costs of $250 to $400 per hour for a Fort Lauderdale mediator, which adds to the overall expense.

Ready to understand exactly what your uncontested divorce will cost? Schedule a consultation with Carolann Mazza, P.A., to receive a clear cost estimate tailored to your specific situation. Call (954) 527-4604.

What Documents Are Required for an Uncontested Divorce in Broward County?

Uncontested divorce filings in Broward County require a complete packet. Missing or improperly drafted documents cause the clerk to reject the submission and reset the timeline. Carolann Mazza, P.A., prepares and reviews every required document before submission to the 17th Judicial Circuit.

Documen	Required in All Cases	Required With Minor Children
Petition for Dissolution of Marriage	Yes	Yes
Marital Settlement Agreement	Yes	Yes
Financial Affidavits (both spouses)	Yes	Yes
Notice of Social Security Number	Yes	Yes
Parenting Plan	No	Yes
Child Support Worksheet	No	Yes
Parent Education Course Certificate	No	Yes

Florida Statute § 61.21 requires both parents in a dissolution involving minor children to complete a Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course from a provider approved by the Florida Department of Children and Families before the court enters a final judgment.

What Issues Must Both Spouses Agree On Before Filing?

An uncontested divorce requires full written agreement on every substantive issue. A partial agreement — where spouses agree on property but disagree on alimony, for example — makes the case contested under Florida law.

Equitable distribution covers all marital assets and liabilities acquired during the marriage. Florida follows an equitable distribution standard under Florida Statute § 61.075, which presumes equal distribution but allows departure when the evidence supports it. The marital settlement agreement must identify, value, and allocate all marital assets and debts.

Alimony requires both parties to agree on whether support is owed, the type (bridge-the-gap, rehabilitative, or durational), the amount, and the duration. Florida Statute § 61.08 governs alimony and was amended effective July 1, 2023. Permanent alimony is no longer available for marriages ending after July 1, 2023, under Florida Statute § 61.08.

Timesharing and parental responsibility govern how both parents share time with and decision-making authority over minor children. Florida Statute § 61.13 establishes a rebuttable presumption of equal timesharing as of July 1, 2023. The parenting plan must address the time-sharing schedule, holiday rotation, school enrollment, and all major parental responsibility decisions.

Child support is calculated under Florida’s income shares model, codified at Florida Statute § 61.30. Parents cannot waive child support — the court reviews the child support worksheet to confirm that the calculation satisfies the statutory guidelines, regardless of what the parents have agreed to.

How Long Does an Uncontested Divorce Take in Fort Lauderdale?

Uncontested divorce timelines in Fort Lauderdale depend on how quickly both spouses finalize the agreement and how completely the filing packet is prepared before submission to Broward County’s 17th Judicial Circuit.

Phase	Estimated Time
Agreement and document preparation	3 to 8 weeks
Filing and service or waiver of service	1 to 2 weeks
20-day response period (Florida Statute § 61.052)	20 days minimum
Judicial Review and Final Judgment	2 to 6 weeks
Total typical range	2 to 4 months

Cases involving children take longer because the court must review the parenting plan and child support worksheet before entering a Final Judgment. 

Cases handled through the collaborative divorce process typically resolve within 3 to 6 months of the date both spouses sign the participation agreement.

The most common cause of timeline delay is an incomplete filing packet. Carolann Mazza, P.A., reviews every document for completeness and accuracy before submission to reduce the risk of rejection and prevent avoidable restarts. 

Divorce is draining — financially and emotionally. Contact Carolann Mazza, P.A., to build a document-ready plan from day one and move forward without unnecessary delays. Call (954) 527-4604.

Why Does an Uncontested Divorce Still Require an Attorney?

An uncontested divorce is simpler procedurally than a contested case, but the documents governing property division, alimony, and parenting are permanent and legally enforceable. 

A marital settlement agreement that misstates asset values, omits a retirement account, or uses unenforceable parenting language creates problems that are expensive to correct after judgment.

Carolann Mazza, P.A., provides uncontested divorce legal support in these areas:

Document drafting and review ensure the marital settlement agreement, parenting plan, and financial affidavits are complete, enforceable, and consistent with each other before filing.

Issue identification catches problems spouses frequently miss when negotiating without legal guidance — undisclosed marital debts, retirement account division requiring a Qualified Domestic Relations Order, or parenting plan language that Florida courts will not approve.

Broward County filing compliance ensures the packet meets the 17th Judicial Circuit’s specific requirements, including mandatory cover sheets, financial disclosure formats, and parent education course documentation.

Unbundled legal review allows spouses who have already negotiated their agreement to retain Carolann Mazza, P.A., for targeted document correction and filing preparation — without full-service representation — so the final submission is accurate and complete. 

Review the out-of-court divorce settlement process to understand how agreement-first cases move through the Broward County system.

For background on the full Florida divorce process, including how uncontested and contested timelines compare, the firm’s detailed guide covers each stage from filing to Final Judgment. Couples planning ahead can also review the collaborative divorce timeline to understand how the collaborative route maps to the uncontested filing stage.

Frequently Asked Questions

What qualifies a divorce as uncontested in Florida? 

A Florida divorce is uncontested when both spouses agree in writing on every issue — equitable distribution, alimony, child support, and time-sharing — before filing. Carolann Mazza, P.A., reviews the agreement to confirm all required issues are addressed and that the settlement is enforceable under Florida Statute § 61.052.

Does Florida require both spouses to appear in court for an uncontested divorce? 

Standard uncontested divorces in Florida often finalize through a review of paperwork without a court appearance when all documents are properly prepared. The Simplified Dissolution of Marriage track requires both spouses to appear together at a brief final hearing under Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure Form 12.901(a).

Can collaborative divorce end as an uncontested filing? 

Collaborative divorce under Florida Statutes §§ 61.55 to 61.58 results in a signed marital settlement agreement that serves as the uncontested dissolution filing. For every collaborative case the firm handles, the firm converts the final settlement agreement directly into a Broward County uncontested filing packet.

What is the filing fee for an uncontested divorce in Broward County? 

Broward County charges a $409 petition filing fee plus a $10 summons issuance fee as of 2026, per the Broward County Clerk of Courts fee schedule. Service of process adds $40 to $150, depending on whether a sheriff or private process server is used.

How does alimony work in an uncontested Florida divorce? 

Both spouses must agree on whether alimony is owed, its type, amount, and duration under Florida Statute § 61.08. Permanent alimony is no longer available for marriages ending after July 1, 2023, under Florida Statute § 61.08. Carolann Mazza, P.A., drafts alimony provisions that comply with current Florida law.

What is an unbundled legal service for an uncontested divorce? 

Unbundled legal service is limited-scope representation in which Carolann Mazza, P.A. assists with specific tasks — reviewing a drafted marital settlement agreement, correcting Florida Family Law Forms, or preparing the filing packet — without full-service divorce representation. Unbundled review typically costs $500 to $1,500 for straightforward cases.

Does child support have to be included in an uncontested divorce with children? 

Florida courts review child support calculations against the statutory guidelines set forth in Florida Statutes § 61.30, regardless of the parents’ agreement. Both parents’ incomes and the time-sharing split determine the calculation. Carolann Mazza, P.A., prepares the child support worksheet and verifies that the calculation satisfies Florida’s income shares model before filing.

Can one attorney represent both spouses in an uncontested Florida divorce? 

A Florida attorney cannot provide legal advice to both spouses in the same dissolution proceeding. Carolann Mazza, P.A., represents one party. The other spouse may retain separate counsel or proceed without representation. The firm also offers unbundled legal services to the spouse who wants document review without full representation.

Your divorce settlement is permanent — get it drafted the first time correctly. Contact Carolann Mazza, P.A., for a confidential consultation on your uncontested divorce in Fort Lauderdale. Call (954) 527-4604.