St. Petersburg Divorce Attorneys

Understanding Contested Divorce in Florida

We have law offices in Largo, Holiday & Palm Harbor serving Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties

K. Dean Kantaras is Board Certified in Marital and Family Law by the Florida Bar

Not all couples can resolve their issues through divorce mediation.  When the issues are complex, or when spouses are unable to put their emotions aside to reach agreement, their issues must be decided by a judge in a contested divorce in Tampa, or anywhere in Florida.

Even when couples are beginning a divorce, and separation was the first step, there may be issues that cannot be resolved due to the permanence of a divorce decision.  In these cases, spouses need to ensure their interests are protected by seeking divorce help from a skilled attorney.  You can obtain the support you need from a St. Petersburg divorce attorney at the Law Offices of Kantaras & Andreopoulos.

How contested divorce works

The simplest definition of a contested divorce is that it is a courtroom process where both spouses present their cases so a judge can decide the conditions that must be followed when the spouses are no longer married.  The basic conditions involve the following:

• Division of property
• Financial support for the children and spouses
• Child custody
• Time sharing (visitation)
• Other issues, including those pertaining to family businesses and complex financial holdings

In most cases, a contested divorce does not preclude some form of preliminary divorce mediation.  Thanks to overcrowded court dockets, judges are increasingly likely to require couples to negotiate as many conditions as possible before entering the courtroom.

State laws govern decisions in contested divorce

Although judges decide the outcome of a Tampa contested divorce, those decisions are based on the Florida laws that govern divorce.  The rules are very detailed, but they exist to protect the best interests of the children first, and then attempt to reach a fair settlement based on the personal and financial situations of both spouses.

The laws work well in many situations, but each spouse needs to recognize that they do not consider any special factors that may present.  This is why it is so important for couples to try seeking divorce attorneys in St. Petersburg to resolve as many differences as possible through mediation prior to beginning their divorce hearing in court.

Contact St. Petersburg divorce lawyers

You need a divorce lawyer in Saint Petersburg who understands your issues to look out for your interests in a divorce.  K. Dean Kantaras is board certified in marital and family law by the Florida Bar.  Those wishing to know more about the skilled representation we can offer in all aspects of family laws in Florida are invited to contact our firm at (727) 781-0000, or use our online contact form.

Our multiple offices are conveniently located in Largo, Clearwater, Holiday, and Palm Harbor, and we help clients in Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties.