Dissolution of Marriage
A dissolution of marriage affects far more than a person’s marital status. It may determine where children live, how parenting decisions are made, how property and debts are divided, whether financial support is awarded, and what resources each spouse will have as they move forward.
When domestic violence, coercive control, financial abuse, or post-separation abuse is involved, the dissolution process can become especially complex. Information may be withheld, finances may be difficult to trace, parenting disputes may be used to maintain control, and ordinary litigation demands may place additional pressure on a survivor.
Victims’ Safe Harbor Foundation provides strategic, trauma-informed representation in select Florida dissolution of marriage proceedings. VSHF’s attorneys work closely with our clients to understand the history of the marriage, identify immediate concerns, develop the necessary financial and parenting evidence, and pursue a resolution that reflects the client’s legal rights, safety, and long-term stability.
Our dissolution of marriage services may include:
- Preparing or responding to a petition for dissolution of marriage
- Seeking or opposing temporary relief while the case is pending
- Developing parenting plans and timesharing schedules, including parental responsibility and decision-making authority
- Establishing child support and allocating child-related expenses
- Evaluating and litigating claims for alimony
- Identifying, valuing, and distributing marital assets and liabilities, including the marital home, businesses, retirement accounts, and other significant assets
- Conducting financial discovery on relevant issues and investigating incomplete or inaccurate disclosures
- Addressing relocation involving a parent and child
- Preparing for mediation and settlement negotiations
- Working closely with clients to develop exhibits, witness testimony, and other evidence for hearings or trial
- Enforcing or modifying orders entered during or after the dissolution litigation
- Addressing domestic violence, coercive control, and the misuse of litigation, including Judicial Terrorism®, throughout the case
Every dissolution is different. Some matters may be resolved through negotiation or mediation, while others require extensive discovery, evidentiary hearings, or trial. VSHF’s goal is to provide realistic guidance, careful preparation, and informed advocacy to our clients at every stage of the process.
Understanding Our Services and Fees
Victims' Safe Harbor Foundation is a 501(c)(3) social impact organization. However, VSHF is not currently grant-funded and does not provide free legal representation. Clients are responsible for their legal fees and litigation costs. Our hourly rates are generally lower than those charged by many private law firms. Direct representation requires an initial retainer and a minimum balance in the client's trust account. The required amounts are determined by an attorney after reviewing the facts, complexity, and anticipated needs of the case.
