Simplified Dissolution Cape Coral FL: $750 Fast Divorce

A simplified dissolution of marriage is the fastest uncontested path to ending a marriage in Cape Coral when both spouses agree and meet strict eligibility rules. Under Florida Statute 61.052(2), our firm can prepare your case for a $750 flat attorney fee (court costs of about $408-$410 and notary are separate). You file with the Lee County Clerk of Court in the 20th Judicial Circuit, and most simplified cases finish within roughly 4 to 8 weeks.

What Is a Simplified Dissolution of Marriage in Florida?

A simplified dissolution is a streamlined divorce procedure created by Florida Statute 61.052(2) for couples who agree on everything and meet a narrow set of requirements. It uses Form 12.901(a), the Petition for Simplified Dissolution of Marriage, and it moves faster than a standard case because it skips certain contested-case steps.

Florida remains a no-fault state under F.S. 61.052. You do not prove adultery, cruelty, or abandonment. The only ground is that the marriage is irretrievably broken. A simplified dissolution simply applies that no-fault standard through the shortest procedural route the Florida Family Law Rules allow.

The tradeoff is that a simplified dissolution asks spouses to waive two rights: the right to a trial and the right to financial disclosure from the other spouse. Because both spouses give up those protections, Florida limits the procedure to couples whose finances and family situation are straightforward. In Cape Coral, that fits many couples with no minor children and modest, well-understood assets.

Who Qualifies for Simplified Dissolution in Cape Coral?

To use a simplified dissolution in Cape Coral, a couple must meet every requirement in Florida Statute 61.052(2). Missing even one requirement moves the case to the regular uncontested track instead. You qualify only if all of the following are true:

• One spouse has lived in Florida for at least 6 months before filing, per F.S. 61.021.
• The couple has no minor or dependent children together, and the wife is not currently pregnant.
• Neither spouse is seeking alimony.
• Both spouses agree the marriage is irretrievably broken.
• Both spouses agree on how to divide all property and debts.
• Both spouses are willing to sign the petition and appear together at the final hearing.

Residency is proven with a Florida driver's license, a Florida voter registration card, or the sworn testimony of a corroborating witness who is a Florida resident. Cape Coral residents typically satisfy this easily. If you have children together, want alimony, or one spouse cannot attend the final hearing, you cannot use the simplified path. That does not end your options, though. A regular uncontested dissolution still lets you finish for the same $750 flat fee. Our related guide on the Cape Coral uncontested divorce process walks through that track in detail.

Simplified Dissolution vs. Regular Uncontested Divorce

Both options end an uncontested marriage, but they use different forms and offer different protections. The table below compares the two Florida paths so you can see which fits your Cape Coral case.

The most important practical difference is attendance. A simplified dissolution requires both spouses to appear at the final hearing together, while a regular uncontested case usually lets just one spouse attend. If a spouse has moved out of state or cannot take time off, the regular track is often the better fit even though both are uncontested.

What Forms Do You Need for a Simplified Dissolution?

Florida uses standardized family law forms available at flcourts.gov. A simplified dissolution in Cape Coral centers on a short set of documents that both spouses sign, often before a notary. The core forms include:

• Form 12.901(a), Petition for Simplified Dissolution of Marriage, signed by both spouses.
• Form 12.902(f)(3), Marital Settlement Agreement for Simplified Dissolution of Marriage, dividing property and debts.
• Form 12.902(a) if either spouse needs to defer the filing fee due to inability to pay.
• Form 12.901(a) requires a filing-fee payment or approved deferral at submission.

A simplified dissolution waives the Family Law Financial Affidavit, so Forms 12.902(b) and 12.902(c) are generally not filed. In a regular uncontested case, a Financial Affidavit is required within 45 days of service unless both spouses sign Form 12.902(k), the Notice of Joint Verified Waiver of Filing Financial Affidavits, authorized under Florida Family Law Rule 12.285. Our firm prepares and reviews each form, confirms the Marital Settlement Agreement covers every asset and debt, and makes sure nothing that could stall your final hearing is missing. Non-lawyer typing services can fill in blanks, but they cannot give legal advice or catch a substantive gap in your settlement.

Where Do You File a Simplified Dissolution in Cape Coral?

Cape Coral sits in Lee County, which is part of Florida's 20th Judicial Circuit. You file your Petition for Simplified Dissolution of Marriage with the Lee County Clerk of the Circuit Court, and the circuit court judge assigned to family cases enters your Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage.

Lee County family law matters are handled through the Lee County Justice Center in downtown Fort Myers, the county seat, where the circuit court's family division sits. Cape Coral does not have its own separate divorce court, so residents on both sides of the Caloosahatchee River file into the same Lee County system.

Almost all Florida divorce documents are filed electronically through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal at myflcourtaccess.com. Self-represented filers can register there, and Lee County also offers family law self-help resources for people navigating the process. When our firm handles your case, we e-file on your behalf and track the docket. For a deeper look at the courthouse and local procedure, see our guide to the Cape Coral divorce court.

For uncontested cases, the 20th Judicial Circuit typically sets a brief final hearing where the judge confirms the marriage is irretrievably broken and approves the settlement. In a simplified dissolution, both spouses attend that short hearing together; it usually lasts only a few minutes.

How Much Does a Simplified Dissolution Cost in Cape Coral?

A simplified dissolution in Cape Coral has two cost layers: our flat attorney fee and the separate court costs you pay to Lee County. Our firm prepares your entire uncontested divorce for a $750 flat attorney fee, the same price in every one of Florida's 67 counties. Court costs and notary fees are not included in that fee.

The Lee County filing fee for a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage is set by the local clerk and is separate from our attorney fee. Court filing fees are set by each county clerk and are separate from our flat attorney fee. As of August 2026, verify the current amount with your local clerk. If you cannot afford the filing fee, Form 12.902(a) lets you ask the court to defer it. Compared with traditional hourly divorce representation that commonly runs $5,000 to $7,500 in retainers, a flat $750 attorney fee with court costs disclosed up front gives you a transparent, predictable total. Our detailed Cape Coral divorce cost breakdown explains every line item.

How Long Does a Simplified Dissolution Take?

A simplified dissolution is typically the fastest divorce available in Florida. Florida imposes no mandatory waiting period after filing, so timing depends mostly on how quickly the paperwork is completed and how soon the Lee County court can schedule your final hearing. Most simplified cases finish within about 4 to 8 weeks.

The steps move in a predictable order:

The court, not the parties, controls the hearing calendar, so no firm can promise an exact date. What speeds things along is arriving with complete, accurate, attorney-reviewed documents so the case is not bounced for a missing signature or an incomplete settlement. That preparation is the single biggest factor in how fast a simplified dissolution reaches final judgment.

When Is a Simplified Dissolution the Wrong Choice?

A simplified dissolution is efficient, but it is not right for every Cape Coral couple. Because it waives financial disclosure and the right to a trial, it works best when both spouses fully understand and trust the marital finances. It is generally the wrong choice when:

• You have minor or dependent children together, which requires a Parenting Plan and child support worksheet under F.S. 61.13 and 61.30.
• Either spouse may seek alimony under F.S. 61.08.
• The marital estate is complex, with a business, significant retirement accounts, or assets one spouse does not fully understand.
• One spouse cannot attend the final hearing in person.
• You are unsure whether your spouse has disclosed all assets or debts.

If any of these apply, a regular uncontested dissolution is usually the better fit, and it still qualifies for the same $750 flat fee. When there are children, our uncontested divorce with children in Cape Coral guide explains the added parenting plan and support requirements. Our firm reviews your situation first and tells you honestly which track fits, or whether your case is contested and outside the flat-fee scope.

Frequently Asked Questions

The questions below address the details Cape Coral couples most often ask about simplified dissolution, cost, and Lee County procedure.

This article provides general information about Florida divorce law and does not constitute legal advice. Every case is unique. The Law Office of Antonio G. Jimenez can prepare your uncontested divorce for a $750 flat attorney fee (court costs and notary separate); contact our office to confirm whether your case qualifies as uncontested.