General
Petitioner
The petitioner is the spouse who files the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage and starts a Florida divorce case. The other spouse, who receives and may respond to the petition, is called the respondent. Being the petitioner does not give a spouse any advantage in how the court decides property, support, or time-sharing.
Last updated June 21, 2026
Legal Definition
In a Florida dissolution proceeding, the petitioner is the party who initiates the action by filing the petition; the responding party is designated the respondent under the Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure.
Example
As the petitioner, she filed first, but that gave her no head start on dividing the marital home.
Related Statutes
- 61.043
Related Terms
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