Palm Beach Divorce Lawyer & Family Law Attorney

By Nadia Pazos, Family Law Attorney, Pazos Law Group · Updated May 2026

The Town of Palm Beach is one of the most affluent communities in the United States, with a community of business owners, executives, and international families. Pazos Law Group represents Palm Beach residents in high-net-worth divorce, complex family law, and matters requiring extreme discretion.

How long does a divorce take in Palm Beach, Florida?

Three statutes control the clock. Fla. Stat. § 61.021 requires that one of the parties reside 6 months in Florida before the petition is filed. Fla. Stat. § 61.052 permits the court to dissolve the marriage on a finding that it is “irretrievably broken,” so no spouse has to prove fault or wait out a separation period. Fla. Stat. § 61.19 then bars a final judgment until at least 20 days have elapsed from the filing of the original petition, unless the court finds that injustice would result from the delay and enters judgment earlier.

Everything past day 20 is scheduling and disagreement. A Palm Beach couple who file a signed marital settlement agreement with the petition are usually before a judge within four to eight weeks. Where trusts, entity-held real property, and jurisdictional questions that rarely appear elsewhere must be traced and valued, or where § 61.08 alimony or § 61.13 time-sharing is disputed, the case moves onto the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit trial calendar and eight to eighteen months is the ordinary range.

How much does a divorce cost in Palm Beach, Florida?

The Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller publishes the current dissolution of marriage filing fee and related charges on its own fee schedule rather than in the statutes; check the clerk’s filing fee schedule before you budget, because the clerk revises it.

Beyond the clerk’s fee, the cost of a Palm Beach divorce is driven almost entirely by how much of the case is litigated, and any figure varies by complexity. Illustrative flat fees on uncontested matters: $1,000–$2,500 without minor children, $1,500–$3,500 with minor children, and $750–$1,500 to prepare a marital settlement agreement where terms are already agreed. Contested files typically open with a $5,000–$15,000 retainer billed hourly.

Two statutory levers can shift the number. Fla. Stat. § 61.16 authorizes an award of attorney’s fees, suit money, and costs based on the parties’ relative financial circumstances and the Rosen factors. Fla. Stat. § 44.102 makes mediation available — and in most contested cases required — which is usually cheaper than trying § 61.075 and § 61.13 issues.

Where do I file for divorce in Palm Beach County, Florida?

Palm Beach cases are filed with the Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller and assigned to the Family Division of the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit (15th) at the Palm Beach County Courthouse, 205 N. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, FL 33401. Petitions are submitted through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, and the clerk collects the filing fee at that point.

Residency is jurisdictional. Fla. Stat. § 61.021 requires that one of the parties to the marriage reside 6 months in the state before the filing of the petition, and § 61.052(2) requires that fact be corroborated. Venue lies in the county of the parties’ last joint residence or the respondent’s county. Once the case is open, § 61.19 prevents entry of a final judgment for at least 20 days, absent a showing that the delay would cause injustice.

Who can file in Palm Beach under Fla. Stat. § 61.021?

Fla. Stat. § 61.021 states the rule in one line: “one of the parties to the marriage must reside 6 months in the state before the filing of the petition.” Only one spouse needs it, the six months must precede filing, and § 61.052(2) requires the fact to be corroborated by a Florida driver license, a voter registration card, or a third party’s testimony. Where a Palm Beach spouse spends part of the year abroad, actual residence — not citizenship or immigration status — is what the statute measures.

How is property divided under Fla. Stat. § 61.075?

The governing text is Fla. Stat. § 61.075(1): the court “must begin with the premise that the distribution should be equal,” unless justification for an unequal distribution is shown. In Palm Beach, where the estate frequently includes trusts, entity-held real property, and jurisdictional questions that rarely appear elsewhere, the practical questions are what is marital, what it is worth, and as of when.

Section § 61.075(6)(b) excludes premarital property, gifts, and inheritances. Section § 61.075(6)(a)1.b pulls back in any enhancement in value attributable to marital effort or marital funds. Section § 61.075(7) sets the valuation date, and § 61.076 governs distribution of retirement plans. The Florida Legislature publishes the full section.

What happens to the marital home?

It is treated like any other marital asset under Fla. Stat. § 61.075, with two wrinkles. Under § 61.075(6)(a)1.b, mortgage principal paid with marital funds and improvements made with marital effort convert part of a premarital home into a marital interest; Kaaa v. Kaaa, 58 So. 3d 867 (Fla. 2010), extends that to passive appreciation in defined circumstances. And under § 61.13 the court may award exclusive use and possession to the parent exercising the majority of time-sharing where that serves the children. Palm Beach cases often turn on which of those applies.

Is time-sharing presumed equal in Florida since July 1, 2023?

Yes. The 2023 amendment to Fla. Stat. § 61.13(2)(c)1. installed a rebuttable presumption that equal time-sharing serves the minor child’s best interests; the standard for rebutting it is a preponderance of the evidence. That is a meaningful change for Palm Beach families, because before July 2023 there was no statutory default at all. The court still has to approve a written parenting plan, and it still applies the § 61.13(3) factors — the presumption tells the judge where to start, not where to finish.

How is child support calculated under Fla. Stat. § 61.30?

Fla. Stat. § 61.30 is a mechanical calculation, not a discretionary award. Both parents’ net incomes are determined after statutory deductions, combined, and applied to the schedule in the statute; the resulting basic obligation is split in proportion to each parent’s share of combined net income, with health insurance and work-related child care added. Departures greater than 5 percent require written findings.

Section § 61.30(11)(b)8. supplies the threshold everyone negotiates around: a parent exercising a “substantial amount of time” — at least 20 percent of the annual overnights — triggers the gross-up formula. Since § 61.13(2)(c)1. has presumed equal time-sharing in Palm Beach cases from 1 July 2023, that threshold is now the norm rather than the exception.

Is mediation required before a contested hearing in Palm Beach?

Almost always. Fla. Stat. § 44.102 gives the court power to refer a case to mediation and § 61.183 covers mediation of contested family issues. In the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit, referral is routine, and most Palm Beach dissolutions settle there rather than at trial — which is also the largest single cost saving available in the case.

Fla. Stat. § 44.405 protects the process by making mediation communications confidential and privileged except as that section provides. The mediator does not report to the judge on who was reasonable; the only thing the court sees is whether the case settled and, if so, the signed agreement.

What kinds of alimony can a court award under Fla. Stat. § 61.08?

Since the 2023 amendments, Fla. Stat. § 61.08 recognizes temporary, bridge-the-gap, rehabilitative, and durational alimony, and permanent alimony has been eliminated. The court must find need and ability to pay before awarding anything, and must make written findings on the type awarded and why.

Section § 61.08(8) caps durational alimony by reference to the length of the marriage, which gives Palm Beach parties a far more predictable range than the pre-2023 law did. Alimony and equitable distribution under § 61.075 interact: an unequal distribution can reduce or eliminate a support claim, and the two are usually negotiated together.

Statutory citations link to the official text published by the Florida Legislature. General information about Florida family courts is published by the Florida State Courts System. This page is general information about Florida law, not legal advice for your case.

Divorce in Palm Beach: An Overview

Looking for a Palm Beach family law attorney? Pazos Law Group represents Palm Beach families in divorce, child custody, child support, alimony, paternity, and post-judgment modifications. Palm Beach Island is one of the most concentrated communities of high-net-worth households in the country. Divorces here regularly involve business interests, real estate in multiple jurisdictions, art and collectibles, philanthropic foundations, and significant privacy considerations.

Why Local Experience Matters

Palm Beach cases require careful handling of business valuation, international asset disclosure, philanthropy and estate-planning interactions with marital property, and discretion strategies suited to high-profile clients.

Family Law Services for Palm Beach Residents

Pazos Law Group represents Palm Beach clients in the full range of family law matters:

• Divorce — contested and uncontested dissolution of marriage under Florida law.
• High-Net-Worth Divorce — complex marital estates involving businesses, real estate, equity compensation, and international assets.

Where Your Case Is Heard

Palm Beach divorces are heard in the 15th Judicial Circuit of Florida, Family Division, at the Palm Beach County Courthouse, 205 N Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach.

Palm Beach-Specific Divorce Considerations

Palm Beach is one of the highest-net-worth municipalities in the United States, and divorce cases here routinely involve asset structures and jurisdictional questions that don’t appear in standard family law practice. The island’s seasonal population — roughly 9,000 year-round residents swelling to 30,000+ between October and May — creates recurring jurisdictional disputes. Florida’s six-month residency requirement under Fla. Stat. § 61.021 is a threshold question for many Palm Beach divorces: was the spouse who filed actually a Florida resident, or was their primary residence in New York, Connecticut, or another state? Voter registration, driver’s license, primary residence declaration for tax purposes, and homestead exemption status all factor into the analysis.

Asset structures here typically include layered trusts, family limited partnerships, offshore accounts, and operating businesses across multiple states. Florida is a favorable trust jurisdiction (no state income tax, strong asset protection), which means many Palm Beach residents have transferred significant marital wealth into trusts during the marriage. Whether those assets remain divisible depends on settlor identity, beneficial interest structure, distribution discretion, and whether the trust was funded with marital or separate property — questions that almost always require specialized trust counsel in addition to family law representation.

Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements come up in nearly every Palm Beach divorce. Many were signed in other states or other countries decades ago, and enforceability under Florida law requires specific analysis: was there full financial disclosure, was each party represented, were the terms unconscionable at execution or have they become so since? Florida courts apply the standard from Casto v. Casto and subsequent decisions, but the factual development required for Palm Beach prenup challenges — often involving wealth structures unfamiliar to the original drafting attorneys — is substantial.

Palm Beach cases are heard in the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit, Family Division, at the Main Judicial Center in West Palm Beach — about 10 minutes from the island via the Royal Park, Flagler Memorial, or Southern Boulevard bridges. The 15th Circuit has judges with extensive experience in high-net-worth divorce matters and is generally responsive to confidentiality concerns (sealed financial filings, in camera reviews) common in Palm Beach cases.

About Pazos Law Group

Pazos Law Group is a South Florida family law firm founded by Nadia Pazos, who has practiced since 2005 and is licensed in both Florida and New York. Nadia holds the AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell — Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating — and by Avvo Clients’ Choice. The firm serves clients in English and Spanish throughout Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties.

Specific Considerations for Palm Beach Divorces

One of America’s most exclusive addresses

The Town of Palm Beach — the barrier island connected to West Palm Beach by the Royal Park Bridge and the Flagler Memorial Bridge — has been one of the most exclusive addresses in the United States for over a century. The island concentrates extreme wealth, dynastic family fortunes, and a substantial seasonal/winter population. Divorces in Palm Beach commonly involve oceanfront and lakefront estates, dynasty trusts spanning multiple generations, family limited partnerships and family offices, museum-quality art and collectibles, private club memberships (Mar-a-Lago, Bath & Tennis Club, Everglades Club, Sailfish Club, Beach Club, Palm Beach Country Club), and international elements.

Within Palm Beach

Divorces commonly involve residents along South Ocean Boulevard (the “Billionaires Row” corridor), North County Road, Worth Avenue area, the El Vedado / Estate Section neighborhoods, the North End along Indian Road and N. Lake Way, Midtown, and the historic estates around the Town center. Property values regularly exceed $20-100M+ for ocean-to-lake estates.

Dynasty trusts and family limited partnerships

Many Palm Beach residents hold beneficial interests in dynasty trusts — long-term irrevocable trusts structured to span multiple generations — and in family limited partnerships (FLPs) that hold concentrated family wealth across asset classes. Whether a trust interest is reachable in divorce depends on the trust’s structure (revocable vs. irrevocable), the spouse’s level of control, beneficial-interest definition, and whether marital funds were contributed. Distributions received during the marriage may be treated as income for alimony purposes under Fla. Stat. § 61.046(8) even where the corpus remains non-marital. Florida’s Trust Code is at Fla. Stat. ch. 736.

Art, collectibles, and tangible personal property

Palm Beach divorces commonly involve high-value art collections, antiques, jewelry, classic cars, wine cellars, and other tangible personal property. Florida classifies these as marital or non-marital under Fla. Stat. § 61.075(6) based on acquisition. Valuation typically requires specialized appraisers familiar with the relevant art market or collectible category. Auction-house estimates differ from insurance valuations, which differ from fair-market liquidation values — the court selects the appropriate basis based on equitable considerations.

Privacy

Privacy is the predominant concern for many Palm Beach clients. Florida divorce filings are public records under Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420 unless an exception applies. For Palm Beach clients, the practical privacy strategy typically includes: (1) resolving disputes through mediation (confidential under Fla. Stat. § 44.405), (2) motion practice to seal financial affidavits and attachments under § 2.420 where statutory criteria are met, (3) carefully drafted marital settlement agreements that minimize disclosed financial detail, and (4) coordinated communications strategy if media attention is anticipated.

Pre- and post-nuptial enforcement

Palm Beach clients entering second or later marriages, or those with substantial pre-marital or family wealth, commonly rely on prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. Florida enforces these under the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act (Fla. Stat. ch. 61, pt. III). Challenges focus on procurement (duress, fraud, lack of disclosure) under Casto v. Casto, 508 So. 2d 330 (Fla. 1987). Properly executed agreements with full financial disclosure are routinely enforced.

Palm Beach County Courthouse

Palm Beach family law matters are heard at the Palm Beach County Courthouse, 205 N Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach — just across the Intracoastal from the island. The 15th Judicial Circuit operates a robust mediation program under Fla. Stat. § 44.102. For high-asset cases involving complex family-wealth structures, parties commonly engage private mediators with significant family-wealth experience rather than rely on the court-referral program.

Worked Example: Palm Beach Old-Money Multi-Generational Divorce

Sample case. Both spouses in their 60s, married 34 years, three adult children. Husband’s family fortune dates to a 1950s industrial business sold long ago; he is now a trustee of a multi-generational family foundation and holds personal interest in three separate revocable and irrevocable trusts. Wife built a separate career in nonprofit governance and curatorial work. Primary residence: an oceanfront Palm Beach home on South Ocean Boulevard ($28M, titled to a Delaware LLC owned by a marital trust). Family compound also includes a North End cottage and a Worth Avenue condo.

Key issues this fact pattern raises:

• Family-foundation and pre-marital trusts. Property held in a properly-administered pre-marital irrevocable trust is generally non-marital under Fla. Stat. § 61.075(6)(b). The forensic question is whether the trustee’s administration during the marriage commingled or enhanced trust property with marital effort or marital funds. Documentation review of trust accountings going back decades is the standard approach.
• Long-marriage alimony. 34-year marriage is well into "long-term" under Fla. Stat. § 61.08 as amended by SB 1416. Durational alimony available up to 75% of marriage length = up to 25.5 years. Amount capped at lesser of need or 35% of net-income difference. With substantial trust distributions to the husband, calculation requires careful analysis of what counts as “income” for alimony purposes.
• Pre-marital prenup enforcement. If the parties signed a prenuptial agreement in 1990 under New York or Connecticut law (typical for the demographic), Florida applies the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act and procurement standards from Casto v. Casto, 508 So. 2d 330 (Fla. 1987). Challenges focus on disclosure adequacy at signing and whether circumstances since then make enforcement unconscionable.
• Delaware LLC + marital trust structures. Florida courts apply substantive marital-property characterization regardless of titling structure. A Delaware LLC owning the family home, with membership held in a marital trust, is treated based on the substantive funding and intent: marital funds → marital property; trust administration during marriage → factual analysis of distributions and commingling.
• Family foundation and charitable holdings. Family foundations are not personal assets. The husband’s trustee role generates fiduciary obligations but typically does not create marital property out of the foundation itself. Salary received as trustee may be marital income.
• Privacy. Palm Beach divorces of recognizable families typically prioritize privacy. Florida court filings are public under Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420; sealing financial affidavits requires specific motion practice. Mediation is confidential under Fla. Stat. § 44.405, which is the standard path for substantive negotiation.

Cases with this profile almost always proceed through coordinated forensic accountants (trust accounting specialists), trust counsel (separate from divorce counsel), and tax counsel (foundation governance + estate tax exposure). The divorce attorney’s job is to coordinate these specialists and translate their findings into the equitable-distribution framework. Settlement is the expected outcome — contested public litigation is exceptionally rare in Palm Beach old-money divorces because the privacy cost typically exceeds any disputed economic delta.

Faster, lower-cost options in Palm Beach: if you and your spouse agree on the major issues, an uncontested divorce or a predictable flat-fee divorce is usually the fastest, least expensive path for Palm Beach families.

What Our Clients Say

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“Nadia and her team were a pleasure to work with, especially during tough times. They managed to navigate some sticky situations with creativity and delivered the best results I could have hoped for. I highly recommend Pazos Law Group.”

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★★★★★

“My divorce was really complex and as soon as I met Nadia and I explained my case, I knew that I had to go with her, not only because she is very professional but also because she has an excellent team.”

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Also Serving Palm Beach County

Pazos Law Group represents clients throughout Palm Beach County. Other locations we serve:

• Boca Raton Divorce Attorney
• Delray Beach Divorce Attorney
• Jupiter Divorce Attorney
• West Palm Beach Divorce Attorney
• Aventura Divorce Attorney

Related Reading

• Palm Beach Prenuptial Agreement Attorney
• How Much Does a Divorce Cost in Florida in 2026?
• How Long Does a Divorce Take in Miami-Dade?
• Florida Alimony: The 4 Types After 2023 Reform
• who keeps the house in a Florida divorce — buyout, sale and deferred-sale options compared.
• contested vs. uncontested divorce in Florida — the practical difference in timeline, cost and process.

The information on this page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading or sharing this content does not create an attorney-client relationship with Pazos Law Group. Florida law and the application of statutes change over time; please consult a licensed Florida attorney about your specific situation.