Florida Family Law Forms – Representation, Petitions, Modifications of Petitions and Answers

This group of Florida family law forms includes forms related to representation, Petitions used in family law cases, modifications of those petitions and answers to petitions. The following Florida family law forms are specifically related to representation:

• 12.900(a) Disclosure from Nonlawyer
• 12.900(b) Notice of Limited Appearance
• 12.900(c) Consent to Limited Appearance by Attorney
• 12.900(d) Termination of Limited Appearance
• 12.900(e) Acknowledgement of Assistance by Attorney
• 12.900(f) Signature Block for Attorney Making Limited Appearance
• 12.900(g) Agreement Limiting Representation
• 12.900(h) Notice of Related Cases’

The Disclosure from Nonlawyer must be used any time a person who is not a Florida attorney assists you in completing any legal form. An attorney who is licensed to practice family law in another state or a Florida attorney who has been disbarred or suspended are also considered nonlawyers for the purpose of assisting you complete these forms. The nonlawyer is required to complete the Disclosure and both you and the nonlawyer must sign the form, then file it with the court clerk. If the nonlawyer assists you with additional forms, there is a section on many of those forms which must be completed by the nonlawyer. The idea behind the Disclosure from Nonlawyer is to ensure you are aware of the nonlawyer’s limitations regarding your case. If an attorney is making a limited appearance on your behalf, but you will be handling many other things on your own, a Notice of Limited Appearance must be filed. Additionally, you must sign a Consent to Limited Appearance by Attorney in order to let the court know that you are aware your attorney is appearing in a limited capacity on your behalf.

When you are required to terminate the limited appearance of the attorney, you will file a Termination of Limited Appearance. In cases where your attorney is making a limited appearance on your behalf, you will also use the Signature Block for Attorney Making Limited Appearance as well. In addition to your normal Attorney-client fee agreement in cases where your attorney is making a limited appearance on your behalf, you will file an Agreement Limiting Representation which is considered a supplemental agreement to the attorney-client fee agreement. All of these forms tell the court that your attorney will not be handling your entire case, rather only a portion of it. The Notice of Related Cases form requires you, as the petitioner, to file a notice of related cases with the court clerk. A related case is one that involves the same parties, children or issues and is currently pending.

Answers to Petitions are filed by the person who is served with a Petition. The person served has twenty days in which answer the Petition; if that time deadline is not met, a default judgment may be entered. Answer forms to divorce petitions include:

• 12.903(a) Answer, Waiver, and Request for Copy of Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage
• 12.903(b) Answer to Petition for Dissolution of Marriage
• 12.903(c)(1) Answer to Petition and Counterpetition for Dissolution of Marriage with Dependent or Minor Child(ren)
• 12.903(c)(2) Answer to Petition and Counterpetition for Dissolution of Marriage with Property but No Dependent or Minor Child(ren)
• 12.903(c)(3)Answers to Petition and Counterpetition for Dissolution of Marriage with No Dependent or Minor Child(ren) or Property
• 12.903(d) Answer to Counterpetition
• 12.903(e) Answer to Supplemental Petition

Your particular Answer form will depend on your individual circumstances. If you have been served with a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage and you have no desire to contest or dispute any of the claims made by your spouse, and have no desire to appear at a final hearing, you will use the Answer, Waiver, and Request for Copy of Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage. You will file this Answer with the court clerk within twenty days of the time you receive your Petition. Along with this form, you will also file the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act Affidavit, a Child Support Guidelines Worksheet, a Marital Settlement Agreement for Dissolution of Marriage with Dependent or Minor Child(ren), a Notice of Social Security Number, a Family Law Financial Affidavit and a Certificate of Compliance with Mandatory Disclosure.

If you are served with a Dissolution of Marriage and you want to admit or deny all of the allegations, but don’t want to file a counterpetition, you will use the Answer to Petition for Dissolution of Marriage whether there are children of the marriage or not. You will also need to file a Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act Affidavit, a Child Support Guidelines Worksheet, a Marital Settlement Agreement, Notice of Social Security Number, a Family Law Financial Affidavit and a Certificate of Compliance with Mandatory Disclosure.

If you have minor or dependent children, are served with a Petition for Dissolution and wish to ask the court for something not contained in the Petition, you will use the Answer to Petition and Counterpetition for Dissolution of Marriage with Dependent or Minor Children. Your dissolution is considered contested if there are disagreements on any issues related to your divorce, or uncontested if you agree on all issues related to your divorce. Along with this form, you must also file a Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act Affidavit, a Child Support Guidelines Worksheet, Affidavit of Corroborating Witness, a Parenting Plan, a Marital Settlement Agreement, Notice of Social Security Number, a Family Law Financial Affidavit and a Certificate of Compliance with Mandatory Disclosure.

Answer to Petition and Counterpetition for Dissolution of Marriage with No Dependent or Minor Child(ren) or Property will be used if there is property, but no dependent or minor children and you wish to ask the court for something not contained in the original petition. You will use the answer portion of your form to deny or admit any allegations made in the original Petition and the counterpetition portion to ask for other things you want in the divorce. Form 12.903(c)(3) will be used when there are no dependent or minor children or property to deal with. You will also file an Affidavit of Corroborating Witness, a Marital Settlement Agreement for Dissolution of Marriage with No Dependent or Minor Child(ren), a Notice of Social Security Number, a Family Law Financial Affidavit, and a Certificate of Compliance with Mandatory Disclosure.

If you are the Petitioner (meaning you filed the original Petition for Dissolution) and are responding to your spouse’s counterpetition, you will use the Answer to Counterpetition to admit or deny allegations contained in the counterpetition. If you are responding to a supplemental petition to modify a Parenting Plan, child support, spousal support or a time-sharing schedule, you will use the Answer to Supplemental Petition. There is no form for a counterpetition to a supplemental petition among the Florida family law forms.

The remaining forms in this group include:

• 12.904(a) Petition for Support Unconnected with Dissolution of Marriage with Dependent or Minor Child(ren)
• 12.904(b) Petition for Support Unconnected with Dissolution of Marriage with No Dependent or Minor Child(ren)
• 12.905(a) Supplemental Petition to Modify Parenting Plan/Time-Sharing Schedule and Other Relief
• 12.905(b) Supplemental Petition for Modification of Child Support
• 12.905(c) Supplemental Petition for Modification of Alimony
• 12.905(d) Supplemental Petition for Temporary Modification of Parenting Issues for Child(ren) of Parent Activated, Deployed, or Temporarily Assigned to Military Service

If you are petitioning the court to make your spouse contribute to the support of you and your minor children (if he or she has failed to do so) you will use the Florida family law form Petition for Support Unconnected with Dissolution of Marriage with Dependent or Minor Child(ren). This form can only be used if a Petition for Dissolution has not been filed; if such a Petition has been filed, you must use the Motion for Temporary Support and Time-Sharing with Dependent or Minor Child(ren). This petition does not address anything other than spousal support and child support. If you are only asking for spousal support unconnected with a divorce, you will use the Petition for Support Unconnected with Dissolution of Marriage with No Dependent or Minor Child(ren).

If you are asking the court to alter a parenting plan, time-sharing schedule or visitation schedule, you will use Florida family law form Supplemental Petition to Modify Parenting Plan/Time-Sharing Schedule and Other Relief; if you are only asking for a modification of child support or spousal support you will use the Supplemental Petition for Modification of Child Support or Supplemental Petition for Modification of Alimony. If you are a parent seeking a temporary modification of an order establishing custody/visitation/parenting plan/time-sharing schedule due to the other parent being deployed, activated or temporarily assigned to military service you will use Florida family law form Supplemental Petition for Temporary Modification of Parenting Issues for Child(ren) of Parent Activated, Deployed, or Temporarily Assigned to Military Service.

As you can see there are many different Florida family law forms you may need to use for your lawsuit. If it seems overwhelming, and you feel you simply don’t have the time or the knowledge of Florida family law to do so, it could be time to talk to an attorney from The Law Place. Our attorneys have the necessary experience to ensure your lawsuit goes smoothly and as quickly as possible. When you have an attorney from The Law Place on your side, there is a greater likelihood that your case will proceed smoothly, with much less stress.