Florida divorce mediation moves through six steps: a free initial consultation, document and financial exchange, the mediation session itself, drafting of the Marital Settlement Agreement and Parenting Plan (as applicable), court filing, and final judgment. Most cases at ADR Mediation Center reach a court-ready agreement in a single 2–4 hour session. From first call to final judgment, the typical timeline is 30 to 90 days, depending on the couple’s court schedule to confirm the Settlement Agreement.
Charles Geller has been a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator since 2006, with certifications in Family, Civil, and Appellate Mediation. He has led more than 2,500 mediations across Florida, including family, civil, and appellate cases. This page walks through what happens at each step, what to bring, what’s confidential, what mediation is not, and what to expect on the timeline.
Ready to talk? Request a free 30-minute consultation or call (407) 834-5800.
Step 1: What happens in the initial consultation?
The first contact is a no cost-no obligation 30-minute consultation by Zoom or by phone. Either spouse can schedule it. If only one spouse is ready, Charles will explain the process to that spouse and discuss how to invite the other one in. The consultation is not a sales call. It is a screening conversation in both directions.
Charles uses the consultation to understand the basics: how long the marriage has lasted, whether there are minor children, the broad shape of the financial picture, and where each spouse stands on the decision to divorce. He also screens for the conditions under which mediation would not be the right fit, including any history of domestic violence, active coercive control, or substance issues that would impair informed decision-making. If those factors surface, Charles discusses available options with the parties. Mediation only works when both parties can advocate for themselves and choose freely.
The couple uses the consultation to ask the questions they have been carrying. What does the process actually look like. How long will it take. What does it cost. What happens if we get stuck. Whether they need their own lawyers. Most consultations end with the couple either booking a mediation session or deciding that they need a different kind of help first, such as consulting with a real estate or financial advisor. Either outcome is a good outcome.
There is nothing to bring to the initial consultation. No documents, no forms, no financial statements. Just both spouses (if possible) and a quiet half hour.
Step 2: What documents do we exchange before mediation?
Before the mediation session, both spouses gather and share the documents that describe the marital estate. This is the part of the process that takes the most calendar time, because it depends on each spouse pulling records together. The exchange is essential. Florida law addresses equitable distribution of marital assets and debts under Florida Statute § 61.075, and the only way to reach a fair division is for both spouses to see the complete picture.
Typical documents to share between the parties include:
- Income. Most recent two pay stubs for each spouse; most recent two years of W-2s and federal tax returns; year-to-date profit-and-loss statement for any self-employed spouse.
- Bank accounts. Most recent three to six months of statements for all checking, savings, and money-market accounts (individual and joint).
- Retirement accounts. Most recent statements for 401(k), IRA, pension, and any deferred-compensation accounts.
- Investment accounts. Most recent statements for any brokerage, mutual fund, or other non-retirement investment account.
- Real estate. Most recent mortgage statement, property tax bill, and a recent estimate of market value (a Zillow estimate is acceptable as a starting point; an appraisal may be needed for higher-value properties).
- Vehicles. Title or registration, current loan balance if any, and a market-value estimate from Kelley Blue Book or similar.
- Debts. Most recent statements for credit cards, student loans, medical debt, and any personal loans.
- Business interests. If either spouse owns part of a business, a recent balance sheet and a sense of the valuation method.
- Insurance. Life, health, auto, and homeowners’ policies in effect.
For couples with minor children, the document set also includes a sense of each child’s school, healthcare provider, extracurricular schedule, and any special needs. This information shapes the parenting plan under Florida Statute § 61.13 and the child support calculation under § 61.30.
Charles provides a document checklist after the initial consultation. Most couples assemble the package in a week or so, and bring the information to the mediation.
Step 3: What actually happens in the mediation session?
The mediation session is the heart of the process. At ADR Mediation Center, most sessions run 2 to 4 hours. Some couples need two sessions. Very few need more than that.
Many appreciate mediation sessions run by Zoom so each spouse can join from home, from work, or from anywhere with a stable internet connection. Florida’s Supreme Court supports virtual mediation under current state guidelines, and the format serves clients in all 67 Florida counties. In-person sessions at the Orlando office (933 Lee Road, Suite 406) are available for couples who prefer that format. Each spouse is present for the full session. Lawyers are not required and are not typical at this stage; if one or both spouses have consulting attorneys, those attorneys can join the mediation, or be available by phone for off-session questions.
Charles opens the session by walking through the process and the ground rules: this is a confidential conversation, both parties speak for themselves, Charles is a neutral third party who does not represent either spouse and does not give legal advice. The session then moves through the issues to address the following:
- Parenting plan and time-sharing. If there are minor children, this is the issue that gets the most attention. Charles guides the couple through Florida’s 20+ statutory factors and helps them design a schedule that fits the family’s actual life. The parenting plan covers school decisions, healthcare decisions, holiday and vacation schedules, communication norms between households, and the routines that govern the day-to-day.
- Child support. Florida uses a guideline calculator under § 61.30 that produces a number based on each parent’s income, the number of overnights with each parent, healthcare costs, and childcare costs. Charles runs the calculation, and the couple discusses any adjustments.
- Equitable distribution of marital assets and debts. Under § 61.075, Florida law starts from the presumption of equal distribution and adjusts based on seven statutory factors. Charles guides the couple through what may be considered marital versus non-marital, current valuations, and suggests ways to divide the estate in a way both spouses can live with.
- Alimony. Not every Florida divorce involves alimony. When it does, the couple discusses type, amount, and duration. Florida’s alimony statute was substantially revised in 2023, and Charles walks the couple through the current framework.
- Outstanding items. Anything that did not fit one of the above categories: relocation considerations, name change, division of personal property, treatment of life insurance, and similar.
The session moves at the couple’s pace. Charles is direct when a couple is stuck and patient when they need time. The room is calm. Most couples leave the session with a complete framework agreement.
Step 4: How is the Marital Settlement Agreement drafted?
After the mediation session, Charles drafts the Marital Settlement Agreement (MSA) and the parenting plan. The drafts capture every term the couple agreed to in the session, organized in the format Florida courts accept.
Drafts go to both spouses for review. If they wish, each spouse can take the drafts to a consulting attorney for a review of legal sufficiency before signing. This step is optional but reasonable. Charles is a neutral mediator, not an attorney, and the consulting attorney may be seen as a safeguard that makes sure each spouse understands what they are signing.
If either spouse wants changes after reading the draft, Charles may bring the couple back together (often a short follow-up Zoom call) to discuss and revise, or with email confirmation from both regarding the changes. Most drafts go through one round of revision; some go through two. Charles is the drafter for both, which keeps the language consistent and the framework intact.
When both spouses agree on a version of the MSA / Parenting Plan, Charles then drafts all the documents required for filing at Court. There would then be one final meeting by Zoom, or in the Orlando office for presentation and review of the required documents. Each document is explained, and identified which require signing in the presence of a Notary. If this meeting is in the Orlando office, Charles will notarize the signatures where required. The documents are then ready for court filing.
Step 5: What happens at court filing?
One spouse files the package of documents with the Florida circuit court, containing the signed MSA, the parenting plan, the child support guidelines worksheet, and all required supporting documents. Florida is a no-fault state under § 61.052; the only ground for divorce is that the marriage is irretrievably broken.
The filing fee in Florida is currently around $410, depending on the circuit. The court issues a case number and the matter is officially open.
Because both spouses already signed the MSA, the response is a waiver of service and a joinder in the petition, which both spouses can complete without a contested service process. The case becomes “uncontested” on the court’s docket.
Both parents of minor children must complete a court-approved 4-hour parenting course under § 61.21 before the final judgment. The petitioner must complete it within 45 days of filing, and the responding party within 45 days of service. Charles provides a list of approved providers, and the course is typically completed online for $25 to $35.
Step 6: When is the divorce final?
After the petition, MSA, parenting plan, and parenting-course certificates are on file, the court schedules a final confirmation hearing. In an uncontested case, the hearing is short (often 5 to 10 minutes) and may be available by Zoom in many Florida circuits. The judge reviews the documents, confirms that both spouses entered the agreement voluntarily, and signs the Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage.
That signature is the moment the divorce is final.
The Final Judgment is then certified, recorded, and sent to both spouses. From there, each spouse can move forward: name changes (if applicable) become effective, retirement accounts can be divided under a Qualified Domestic Relations Order if needed, deeds can be transferred, and the parenting plan governs the family going forward.
How long does the whole process actually take?
Timelines vary by circuit and by how quickly each spouse assembles documents. A representative sequence for a straightforward uncontested case in a Florida metro area:
- Week 1: Free initial consultation.
- Weeks 2–3: Appointment set. Document assembly and exchange.
- Week 4: Mediation session.
- Weeks 5–6: MSA and parenting plan drafting and review.
- Week 7: Both spouses sign the MSA and other required documentation.
- Week 8: Petition and signed documents filed with the circuit court.
- Weeks 9–11: court schedules final hearing.
- Week 12+: Final hearing; judge signs Final Judgment.
Total: can be roughly 60 to 90 days from first call to final judgment.
Some couples move faster. Some take longer. The fastest cases at ADR Mediation Center have finalized in 30 to 45 days when the couple arrived ready, the document set was simple, and the local court had a short hearing calendar. By contrast, the foundational research on mediation found that mediated custody settlements were reached in less than half the time of adversarial litigation (Emery & Wyer, 1991, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology). National data from the U.S. Census Bureau puts the median time to finalize a contested divorce at around 13 months (U.S. Census Bureau).
Florida’s mediation infrastructure helps. The Florida Office of the State Courts Administrator reported more than 60,000 mediation sessions in fiscal year 2023–2024 (FL OSCA, 2024). The state’s courts, clerks, and parenting-course providers are set up to process mediated agreements efficiently.
What is confidential, and what isn’t?
Under Florida Statute § 44.405, all mediation communications are confidential and privileged. What is said in the mediation room cannot be disclosed to a person other than another mediation participant or a participant’s counsel, and cannot be used as evidence in a subsequent court proceeding.
There are a few statutory exceptions. Communications about ongoing or planned child abuse, neglect, or threats to commit a crime that involves bodily injury are not protected. A signed written agreement that comes out of mediation is admissible in court (that is the whole point; the MSA goes to the court). And any party can waive privilege voluntarily.
The financial documents and information you exchange in preparation for mediation are not themselves “mediation communications” under the statute; they are the substrate of the conversation. Charles handles them with confidentiality as a matter of professional practice, but the statutory privilege is for the conversation in the room.
What is NOT mediation?
A few clarifications, because misunderstandings about the mediator’s role create unnecessary friction.
Charles does not represent either spouse. He is a neutral third party. He does not give legal advice to either party, does not draft documents for one party against the other, and does not advocate for one spouse’s interests over the other’s. If either spouse wants legal advice, the right step is to consult with an attorney outside the mediation.Some couples do exactly this; most couples don’t feel they need to.
Charles is not an attorney. He is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator and a licensed clinical therapist (licensed in Florida since 2004). The certifications cover the specific role of facilitating dispute resolution; they do not cover practicing law.
Mediation is not therapy, even when the mediator has clinical training. Charles’s 30-year therapy background shapes how the conversations unfold and how he reads the room, but the mediation session has a different purpose: reaching a court-ready agreement on the legal and parenting issues. Many spouses benefit from individual therapy alongside mediation. Those are two different processes serving two different needs.
Mediation does not require both spouses to agree on everything before the session. Most couples come in with significant disagreement on at least one issue. Working through the disagreement is what the session is for. What mediation requires is good-faith participation: both spouses willing to listen, willing to consider compromises, and willing to walk out with an agreement they can both live with.
Frequently asked questions about the process
How do we get started if we haven’t agreed on everything yet?
You don’t have to agree on everything to start. Most couples come into mediation with at least one significant disagreement. That is what the session is for. What matters is that both spouses are willing to participate in good faith. The free initial consultation is the place to talk through where you are and decide whether mediation is the right next step.
Do we both have to be in the same room?
For Zoom sessions, both spouses join the same Zoom call. Charles can use breakout rooms if a particular conversation needs privacy. For in-person sessions at the Orlando office, both spouses are in the same room with Charles, and other offices are available for privacy upon request. Most couples find this easier than they expected; the structured format reduces the emotional charge.
What if one of us gets stuck during the session?
Charles is trained to work through it. As a clinical therapist of more than 30 years, he has spent his career helping people overcome obstacles. The mediation process has rhythms that help: taking a short break, reframing the question, separating the immediate decision from the longer-term concern, working through one factor at a time. Most sticking points move with patience.
Do we need attorneys?
Mediation does not require attorneys. Most couples at ADR Mediation Center proceed without legal counsel. Some choose to have a consulting attorney review the Marital Settlement Agreement before signing; this is a reasonable safeguard and Charles supports it. The mediator is not a lawyer, and the lawyer is not the mediator; the roles are distinct.
What happens if we can’t reach agreement?
If mediation does not produce an agreement, the couple can pause and try a second session later, or move to a litigated path. Charles will not push a couple to sign an agreement they cannot live with. The whole point of mediation is that the parties design their own outcome; if that outcome isn’t reachable in the room, the right answer is to recognize that, not to force it.
Is mediation required in Florida?
Florida courts routinely refer family cases to mediation under § 44.102 and § 61.183. Most contested cases will be ordered to mediation before a trial. By starting with mediation directly, you skip the litigation track that the court would route you through anyway.
What does the whole process cost?
Mediation at ADR Mediation Center is billed by the hour, with a separate flat fee for document preparation. A typical 2-hour case runs about $3,000 with all documentation prepared and ready for filing at court. This is in contrast to the $3,000 to $5,000+ retainer required by attorneys just to start. Cases that need more session time cost more, because Charles charges only for the time the session actually takes. The free 30-minute initial consultation does not count against that. Florida court filing fees are separate (currently around $400 to $410) and paid directly to the court. The parenting course (if applicable) runs $25 to $35. Consulting attorneys, if either spouse uses one, are billed separately by that attorney.
What to do next
If you and your spouse are both willing to talk, the next step is the free consultation. Charles will hear what’s going on, screen for the conditions where mediation is not the right fit, and tell you honestly whether he thinks he can help.
Ready to talk? Request a free 30-minute consultation, call (407) 834-5800, or email info@adrmediationcenter.com.