A Florida judgment means you have reached the final part of your case. Judgments are meant to resolve all the contested issues in the case, and effectively terminating the lawsuit. The Judgment states who has “won” the case or what remedies the “winner” has been awarded. Remedies can include monetary awards or other types of relief. The Florida family law Judgment will be issued in writing and will show that all issues have been addressed and adjudicated. The Florida Judgment will be dated and docketed so they can be made available to the public. The Judgment you receive from the court is considered the final decision. Final judgments most often seen in a Florida family court include the following:
12.990(a) Final Judgment of Simplified Dissolution of Marriage
12.990(b)(1) Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage with Dependent or Minor
Child(ren) (Uncontested)
12.990(b)(2) Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage with Property but No Dependent
or Minor Child(ren) (Uncontested)
12.990(b)(3) Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage with No Property or Dependent or
Minor Child(ren) (Uncontested)
12.990(c)(1) Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage with Dependent or Minor
Child(ren)
12.990(c)(2)Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage with Property but No Dependent or
Minor Child(ren)
12.994(a) Final Judgment for Support Unconnected with Dissolution of Mariage with Dependent
or Minor Child(ren)
12.994(b) Final Judgment for Support Unconnected with Dissolution of Marriage with No
Dependent or Minor Child(ren)
With the exception of the last two forms, the above Final Judgment forms mean you have reached the end of your divorce, and now know the final outcome. If you have minor children, your Final Judgment will detail time-sharing child support and parenting plan. If you have property, the Final Judgment will detail how your marital assets and debts will be split. If your divorce was uncontested and you and your spouse were in agreement regarding all issues, then you will use the uncontested versions above. If your divorce, asset division or child custody is in dispute, then the judge will determine these issues, and the “contested” version will be used. A Final Judgment for Support Unconnected with Dissolution of Marriage (with or without) Dependent or Minor children is issued in cases where a request for support has been made with no relation to a divorce. A supplemental final judgment does not take the place of the final judgment, but adds to it in some way. The supplemental final judgment forms used by the Florida family court include:
12.993(a) Supplemental Final Judgment Modifying Parental Responsibility, Visitation, or
Parenting Plan/Time-Sharing Schedule and Other Relief
12.993(b) Supplemental Final Judgment Modifying Child Support
12.993(c) Supplemental Final Judgment Modifying Alimony
12.993(d) Supplemental Temporary Judgment Modifying Parenting Issues for Child(ren) of a Parent Activated Deployed, or Temporarily Assigned to Military Service
The remainder of the Florida family law forms under the heading of Judgments and Orders, include:
12.996(a) Income Deduction Order
12.996(b) Notice to Payor
12.996(c) Notice of Filing Return Receipt
12.996(d) Florida Addendum to Income Withholding Order
12.998 Order of Referral to Parenting Coordinator
An Order from the court tells someone to do something specific, prohibits him or her from doing something specific, sets a court date, or legally establishes something. In Florida family courts, Orders are signed by the judge, and, in some cases, notarized to make it even more official. In some cases an order may be given orally by the judge in open court and recorded in the court transcripts but not given to the parties in writing. An Income Deduction Order specifies that a certain amount of money will be taken out of a parent’s regular paycheck and paid to the other parent as child support.
When an Income Deduction Order has been approved, the Notice to Payor will be issued to the parent’s employer in order to tell them how much money to deduct from the paycheck and how often. Notice of Filing Return Receipt provides proof that the Notice to Payor has been sent to the appropriate party. The Florida Addendum to Income Withholding Order will be used when the court orders that child support be paid via income deduction. The final form in this group, Order of Referral to Parenting Coordinator is issued when a motion has been made (or the court has decided) that a parenting coordinator is necessary. The order will refer the parties to a specific parenting coordinator.
If you are issued a Judgment or Order from a Florida court, you may want to speak with an attorney from The Law Place who can answer any questions you might have. Our attorneys are well-familiar with every Florida family law form, and can give you a comprehensive explanation about any of those forms. We have many years of experience in Florida family law, and work hard to ensure every one of our clients is represented with the highest level of knowledge and professionalism. Call The Law Place today for a thorough evaluation of your specific case.