Florida Divorce by Publication Process
A Florida divorce by publication (also known as a missing spouse divorce, one signature divorce) is used when the whereabouts of the other party are not known. This replaces the typical process of service. If you have any legal questions please contact a Florida divorce attorney.
A simple divorce with no children can get a divorce by publication in Florida without having to ever step into the courthouse. This process takes approximately 8 weeks.
A divorce with children must go through the traditional Florida divorce process and will require a hearing. Depending on the county this type of divorce by publication take approximately 12 weeks.
DIVORCE BY PUBLICATION PROCESS
How much does a Divorce by Publication cost?
We keep our prices of our divorce preparation service the same across the board however to get an accurate quote click below:
The court filing fee is $408.00 HOWEVER 97% of our clients do not pay the court filing fee or publication fee because they qualify for the Court filing fee waiver.
Ready to get started? Scroll to the bottom of this page for our client intake forms.
Step 1 – Information Necessary for Florida Divorce by Publication Process
Client Intake – Complete one of the forms available on one the service page above and submit it to our office. We will call you to confirm the information, answer any questions and email an invoice.
Step 2 – Preparation of Documents
We will prepare the forms using the information provided and submit them to you typically within 24 hours to your email. Please keep in mind we work Monday through Friday.
Once you receive the forms please review them to make sure all of the information is accurate. If there are any typos please let us know and we will make the changes and resubmit the documents to you.
Let us know if you need us to send the publication to you in the mail. We will do so without any additional charge.
IMPORTANT – We will include a court filing fee waiver with the paperwork, if you meet the income qualifications the court will not charge you the court filing fee and the publication fee as well.
Step 3 – Signing of the Papers
Signing – The forms must be signed in front of a notary or you can use a RON (remote online notary). We recommend floridanotarizationsonline.com
Step 4 – Filing the Divorce at the Courthouse
We will prepare and efile the divorce forms using the Florida court’s online portal. The court will request the publication if you qualify for the court filing fee waiver. If you do not qualify the cost of the publication is around $100.
The rest of the steps will vary depending on your type of divorce by publication.
Simple Divorce by Publication:
If the divorce is a simple divorce (no children or property) and you qualify for the court filing fee the court will take care of the publication.
Once it expires we will file the rest of the paperwork be able to skip the steps above, submit the final paperwork and the judge will review the case and sign it.
You will receive the final judgement in the mail directly from the judge.
Click Here for a Free Quote:
Divorce by Publication with Minor Children:
Request for Divorce Court Hearing
Once the publication is expired we will submit the rest of the documents and request the final hearing. Some counties allow to waive the final court hearing, we will let you know if this option is available.
Final Hearing
If your county requires a final hearing you will receive the hearing date in the mail. It is crucial that you attend this hearing.
The hearing typically takes less than 5 minutes and you will be divorced at this time.
IMPORTANT: There is a parenting class you must take. In most counties the class can be taken online. We highly recommend floridaparentingclassnow.com
Make an Appointment to Talk to a Document Preparer:
Disclaimer: We are not attorneys and do not offer legal advice. Please contact a Florida divorce attorney with your legal questions.