Florida divorce mediation is the structured, voluntary process that lets two spouses settle the legal terms of their divorce without going to court. You sit with a neutral, certified mediator. You work through each decision the law requires you to resolve. You leave with a written agreement the court can adopt as a final judgment.
For most Florida couples, the entire process takes one or two sessions of two to four hours each. From the first phone call to a court-ready agreement, 30 to 60 days is typical when both spouses are ready to participate.
This page walks through every step in order: what happens before the session, what happens during, what happens after, and what mediation is not. If something here doesn’t answer your question, the FAQ at the bottom covers the questions Florida couples ask most often.
What is divorce mediation in Florida?
Mediation is a process recognized by Florida statute as the primary way to resolve a divorce outside of litigation. The mediator is a neutral facilitator who has been trained and certified by the Florida Supreme Court. The mediator does not represent either spouse. The mediator does not give legal advice. The mediator’s job is to keep the conversation productive, surface the decisions that need to be made, and help both spouses reach their own agreement on each one.
Florida’s courts held more than 60,000 mediation sessions in fiscal year 2023-2024, including roughly 17,954 family mediation sessions, according to the Florida Office of the State Courts Administrator. The American Bar Association called mediation “the default approach for family dispute resolution” in its Fall 2023 Family Advocate.
What does the process look like, step by step?
The Florida divorce mediation process moves through six stages. Stage 1 is a phone call. Stages 2 through 6 are the actual work.
Step 1: Initial consultation (30 minutes, free)
You schedule a free 30-minute Zoom call with Charles Geller. The call is yours, your spouse’s, or both together, whichever feels right. The point of the consultation is to answer your questions, understand your situation, and decide together whether mediation is the right path for the two of you.
A few things get covered: what mediation actually is and how it differs from working with attorneys; what Charles charges and what is included; what documents you would need to gather; whether anything in your situation makes mediation a poor fit (active domestic violence, for example, is a statutory exclusion under Florida § 44.102).
There is no obligation after the consultation. About half the people who call decide mediation is right for them. The other half get pointed toward the resource that actually fits their situation.
Step 2: Document exchange (1 to 2 weeks)
Before the mediation session, both spouses gather the financial documents Florida requires for any divorce. The list is largely the same whether you mediate or litigate, because the court ultimately reviews the same information:
- The last three years of federal tax returns
- Recent pay stubs or income statements
- Bank and investment account statements
- Mortgage and loan documents
- Retirement account statements (401(k), IRA, pension)
- A list of significant assets and debts in either spouse’s name
- Health insurance information
- If children are involved: school information, parenting schedule preferences, special needs documentation
Charles provides a written checklist when you schedule. You upload the documents to a secure portal, or you bring printed copies if you are meeting in person. Both spouses see what the other has provided. This part is not negotiable. Florida law requires full financial disclosure in any divorce, and the agreement you reach in mediation rests on accurate numbers.
Step 3: The mediation session (2 to 4 hours, usually)
Most Florida divorces finish in one mediation session. Some need two. A small number take three. The session typically runs two to four hours. Most couples meet by Zoom from home, from work, or from anywhere with a stable internet connection. In-person sessions at the Orlando office are available for couples who prefer that format.
The session is structured. Charles opens by reviewing what mediation is and is not, confirming that both spouses are participating voluntarily, and explaining how the conversation will run. From there the agenda moves through every decision the court will need to see resolved:
For every Florida divorce:
- Grounds for dissolution (Florida is a no-fault state under § 61.052)
- Equitable distribution of marital assets and debts (§ 61.075)
- Alimony, if any (type, amount, duration)
- Attorney’s fees and costs
If children are involved:
- Parenting plan and time-sharing schedule (§ 61.13)
- Decision-making responsibilities (educational, medical, religious, extracurricular)
- Child support (calculated under the § 61.30 guidelines)
- Holiday and vacation schedules
- Communication protocols between parents
The conversation moves at the pace of the two spouses. When one item is settled, the next opens. Charles keeps notes, surfaces questions both spouses need to answer, and points out where Florida law sets a default rule. If a spouse needs to step out, the session pauses. If a spouse needs to consult with their own attorney before agreeing to something, the session pauses. There is no pressure to finish in one sitting.
A landmark University of Virginia randomized study found that mediation “greatly reduced the frequency of custody hearings, allowed settlements to be reached in half the time, and substantially improved the satisfaction reported by parents” compared to the adversarial system (Emery & Wyer, 1991, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology).
Step 4: Marital Settlement Agreement drafting (3 to 7 days)
After the session ends with both spouses in agreement on the terms, Charles drafts the Marital Settlement Agreement (MSA). The MSA is the legal document the court reviews. It captures every decision the two of you made: asset division, debt allocation, alimony, parenting plan, child support calculations, the works.
Charles drafts the MSA in the format Florida courts expect. If children are involved, a separate Parenting Plan document is drafted alongside it. Both documents are sent to both spouses for review.
This is the stage where each spouse is strongly encouraged to have an independent Florida family-law attorney review the draft before signing. A review attorney is not the same as a litigating attorney. The review is typically a one-hour engagement in which the attorney reads the draft, flags anything that concerns them, and confirms that the spouse understands what they are agreeing to. Many couples skip this step. Charles recommends against skipping it.
Once both spouses approve the MSA, both sign it.
Step 5: Court filing (1 to 2 weeks)
The signed MSA gets filed with the Florida circuit court in the county where either spouse resides. The filing package includes:
- Petition for Dissolution of Marriage
- The signed Marital Settlement Agreement
- The signed Parenting Plan (if children)
- Financial affidavits from both spouses
- A few required Florida-specific forms (Notice of Social Security Number, UCCJEA affidavit if children, child support guidelines worksheet)
Charles provides the filing package or coordinates with a Florida attorney who handles the procedural filing. Filing fees in Florida currently run around $400, paid to the clerk of court.
Step 6: Final judgment hearing (10 to 30 days after filing)
After filing, the court schedules a brief final judgment hearing. In an uncontested case where the MSA is in order, the hearing is short, often 10 minutes or less. At least one spouse appears (depending on the county, sometimes both). The judge reviews the agreement, asks a few standard questions, and signs the final judgment of dissolution of marriage.
Florida law sets a default 20-day waiting period between filing for divorce and final judgment. Couples who reach a complete agreement during mediation can ask the court to waive this period. Charles drafts the waiver form as part of the standard process for fully uncontested cases. When the waiver is granted, the timeline from filing to final judgment can be shorter than the default 20 days.
You are divorced when the judge signs the final judgment. Florida is one of the states without a waiting period after the judgment, so the dissolution is immediate.
What do you bring to mediation?
A short list. You don’t need lawyers, briefs, or formal motions. You need:
- The financial documents from Step 2 above (already uploaded before the session)
- Any preliminary thoughts on what you want the parenting plan and asset division to look like (Charles will guide the conversation, but coming in with some ideas helps)
- A working phone or computer for Zoom, or yourself in person at the Orlando office
- A willingness to listen, ask questions, and reach an agreement that both of you can live with
Most spouses also bring a notebook. The session covers a lot of ground in a few hours.
What mediation is NOT
This part matters. Mediation is a specific, defined process, and being clear about what it is not protects both spouses.
Charles is not your attorney. Mediation is neutral facilitation. Charles is a licensed clinical therapist and a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator, not a Florida attorney. He does not represent either spouse. He cannot give legal advice to either spouse about whether a particular term is in your individual interest. If you need legal advice, you retain your own Florida family-law attorney for that purpose.
Mediation is not a substitute for legal review. Charles recommends that each spouse have an independent Florida family-law attorney review the Marital Settlement Agreement before signing. A review attorney’s job is different from a litigator’s. They are reading the document on your behalf, not fighting for you in court.
Mediation is not therapy. Even though Charles has more than 30 years of clinical therapy practice, mediation sessions are not therapy sessions. The clinical training informs how Charles facilitates conversations under stress, but the session’s purpose is to reach a legal agreement, not to process the emotions of the marriage ending.
Mediation is not for every situation. Florida law under § 44.102 excludes cases with a credible history of domestic violence from court-ordered mediation. Research has documented that mediators do not always detect intimate-partner violence during screening (Beck, Walsh & Weston, 2005, Violence Against Women). If your situation involves active domestic violence, coercive control, or significant power imbalance, mediation is the wrong path. The free consultation is the moment to surface this, honestly and confidentially.
Mediation is voluntary. Either spouse can stop at any time. The agreements reached in mediation are not binding until both spouses sign the written MSA and a Florida court adopts it as a final judgment. There is no pressure mechanism in mediation.
How long does the whole process take?
From first phone call to signed final judgment, most Florida mediated divorces take 30 to 60 days. The pacing depends on three factors:
- How quickly both spouses can gather financial documents. This is the most common delay. Couples who already have their paperwork organized can move from consult to filing in 2 to 3 weeks.
- How many sessions you need. Most couples finish in one session. Complex asset structures (a closely held business, multiple properties, significant retirement accounts) can require a second session.
- How quickly the court schedules the final hearing. This varies by county. Orange County, Miami-Dade, and Hillsborough courts tend to schedule within 2 to 4 weeks. Smaller counties sometimes move faster.
There is no requirement to rush. Some couples take three months because they want time between the mediation session and the filing to make sure they feel settled in the agreement. Other couples want it done as quickly as Florida law allows.
Can mediation happen by Zoom?
Yes. Virtual mediation lets you settle your divorce from home, from your office, or from anywhere with a stable internet connection. There’s no drive across town, no parking deck, and no waiting room shared with your spouse. Florida’s Supreme Court supports virtual mediation under current state guidelines, and Charles serves all 67 Florida counties this way. The mediation session itself, the document exchange, and the MSA review can all happen virtually. In-person sessions at the Orlando office are available for couples who prefer that format.
A 2020 randomized trial published in the Journal of Family Psychology found that structured online divorce interventions reduced anxiety and depression compared to a control group (Hald et al., 2020). The virtual format is not a limitation; it is an evidence-supported delivery channel.
Ready to get started?
Schedule a free 30-minute consultation. No obligation. No pressure. We answer your questions and you decide whether mediation fits your situation.
Or call (407) 834-5800 to speak with Charles directly.
Frequently asked questions about the process
How long does Florida divorce mediation take from start to finish?
Most Florida mediated divorces take 30 to 60 days from the first phone call to the signed final judgment. The mediation session itself is usually 2 to 4 hours. Document exchange typically runs 1 to 2 weeks. Court filing and the final hearing add another 2 to 4 weeks depending on the county.
Do both spouses need to be in the same room for mediation?
No. Most sessions run by Zoom, with each spouse in a separate location. Florida’s Supreme Court supports virtual mediation under current state guidelines, and Charles serves couples in all 67 Florida counties this way. In-person sessions are available at the Orlando office. The choice is yours and your spouse’s.
What happens if we don’t agree on everything in one session?
You schedule a second session. Some couples need it, especially when significant assets or complex parenting arrangements are involved. Charles does not pressure couples to finish in one session. The agreement only works if both spouses fully agree to every term.
Do we each need our own attorney to mediate?
You do not need an attorney to participate in mediation. You are strongly encouraged to have an independent Florida family-law attorney review the Marital Settlement Agreement before signing. A review attorney is a different engagement from a litigating attorney; the review typically takes about an hour and costs a few hundred dollars.
Does the mediator give legal advice?
No. Charles is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator and a licensed clinical therapist, not a Florida attorney. He cannot give legal advice to either spouse about whether a specific term serves your individual interest. He explains how Florida law works, what the statutes require, and what most courts approve, but the application to your specific situation is what your independent review attorney is for.
What if mediation doesn’t work?
You retain every option you had before. Nothing said in mediation is admissible in court under Florida’s mediation privilege statute (§ 44.405). If mediation does not produce an agreement, you can proceed to traditional litigation, collaborative divorce, or another form of dispute resolution. There is no penalty for trying mediation first.
Is mediation required in Florida divorce?
Florida courts can order mediation under § 61.183 and § 44.102, and most contested cases get referred. If you mediate before filing, you skip the court referral entirely. The mediation is already done. The exception is cases with a credible history of domestic violence, which are statutorily excluded from court-ordered mediation.
What if my spouse and I are barely speaking?
That is more common than you might think. Charles regularly mediates between spouses who have not had a productive conversation in months. The session is structured to keep the conversation on the decisions Florida law requires, not on the history of the marriage. The 30+ years of clinical therapy training help here.