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Florida Bifurcated Divorce

Florida bifurcated divorce and residency requirement

Florida bifurcated divorce and residency requirement

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Divorce

What is a bifurcated divorce in Florida? Many Florida divorces involve issues of equitable distribution, child custody and alimony. When a party asks a court to bifurcate the proceedings, it means the party is asking the court to separate the issues and enter a final judgment declaring the parties to be divorced before remaining issues such as equitable distribution, etc. are decided. This might be requested, if for example, a party is in poor health and may pass away before a final judgment of divorce is entered which would entitle the surviving spouse to death benefits that may not be intended in light of the parties’ separation. This was an issue in the case Wax v. Friedman, 3D23-1942 (Fla. 3d DCA October 29, 2025).

Bifurcated Florida divorce

Bifurcated Florida divorce

Posted by Nydia Streets of Streets Law in Florida Family Law Procedure

What is a bifurcated divorce in Florida? This refers to a divorce case that is handled in two parts - the parties may not be ready to address issues in their case such as equitable distribution, alimony, etc., but they want to be legally single instead of waiting until they are ready to address all of those issues. So if the case is bifurcated, the court might enter a partial final judgment only dissolving the marriage, and then later enter another partial final judgment resolving the remaining issues in the case. This method is discouraged, though, by the Supreme Court of Florida as cited in the case Shlimbaum v. Shlimbaum, 4D2023-1876 (Fla. 4th DCA September 25, 2024).