Hollywood sits in the southeast corner of Broward County, between Fort Lauderdale and the Miami-Dade line, and every Hollywood divorce runs through the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit. A divorce lawyer in Hollywood handles cases at the Broward County Central Courthouse roughly 11 miles north on US-1, where the Unified Family Court hears dissolution matters for residents from Emerald Hills to Hollywood Beach to West Hollywood. This page covers where Hollywood residents file, what it costs, how long it takes, and the 2023-2024 Florida law changes that now shape every local case.
Hollywood Divorce: Key Facts at a Glance
Hollywood divorces are filed in Broward County under Florida Statutes Chapter 61. The base court filing fee is $409 as of February 2026, one spouse must have lived in Florida for at least 6 months, and there is no required separation period. Florida is an equitable distribution state, not a community property state.
| Detail | Hollywood / Broward County |
|---|---|
| County | Broward County (17th Judicial Circuit) |
| Filing court | Broward County Central Courthouse, Unified Family Court |
| Court address | 201 SE 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 |
| Filing fee (2026) | $409 (plus ~$10 summons issuance) |
| Residency requirement | 6 months in Florida (§ 61.021) |
| Waiting period | No separation period; 20-day response window after service |
| Property model | Equitable distribution (§ 61.075) |
How do I file for divorce in Hollywood, Florida?
To file for divorce in Hollywood, submit a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage to the Broward County Clerk of Courts, either online through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal or in person at 201 SE 6th Street in Fort Lauderdale. The 2026 filing fee is $409. One spouse must have resided in Florida for 6 months before filing, proven by a Florida driver license or voter card.
Florida is a no-fault state. Under § 61.052, you only need to plead that the marriage is irretrievably broken; you do not have to prove wrongdoing. Hollywood residents most often file one of two ways: a regular dissolution petition, or, if both spouses agree on everything and meet narrow conditions, a Petition for Simplified Dissolution of Marriage processed through the Seventeenth Circuit. After filing, your spouse must be formally served and has 20 days to respond.
Where do I file for divorce in Hollywood? (which courthouse)
Hollywood residents file at the Broward County Central Courthouse, West Building, 201 SE 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. The Unified Family Court handles dissolution cases on the 4th floor, Room 04130, reachable at (954) 831-6565. In-person filing hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., though most filers use the statewide E-Filing Portal, which accepts submissions 24 hours a day.
There is no divorce courthouse inside Hollywood city limits. The closest physical option for self-represented filers is the Central Courthouse in downtown Fort Lauderdale, accessible from Hollywood via I-95 or US-1. The Family Law Self-Help area and the Domestic Violence Division (2nd Floor, Room 02140) provide Florida Supreme Court approved family law forms for a fee to people representing themselves. Bring identification, your marriage information, and payment by money order payable to the Clerk of Court.
How much does a divorce lawyer cost in Hollywood?
A divorce lawyer in Hollywood typically costs $250 to $450 per hour, with an upfront retainer of $2,500 to $5,000 for a contested case. An uncontested or flat-fee divorce in Broward County often runs $1,500 to $3,500 in attorney fees, separate from the $409 court filing fee. Total cost depends mainly on whether custody and property are disputed.
Contested Hollywood divorces involving a business, a home in neighborhoods like Hollywood Lakes, or a custody fight can exceed $15,000 when they require depositions and mediation. Broward County's Seventeenth Circuit requires most contested family cases to attend mediation before trial, which adds mediator fees but resolves a large share of cases. If you cannot afford the filing fee, you may file Form 12.910(c), the Application for Determination of Civil Indigent Status, to request a waiver. Use the divorce cost estimator to model your range before hiring counsel.
How long does a divorce take in Hollywood?
An uncontested divorce in Hollywood usually finalizes in 4 to 8 weeks after filing, because Florida imposes no mandatory waiting or separation period for an irretrievably broken marriage. A contested divorce in Broward County typically takes 8 to 18 months, driven by required financial disclosure, mandatory mediation in the Seventeenth Circuit, and the court's trial calendar.
The single biggest timeline factor is agreement. When both Hollywood spouses sign a marital settlement agreement covering property, support, and any parenting plan, a judge can enter the final judgment quickly. Disputes over time-sharing, alimony, or valuing assets stretch the case out. After your spouse is served, they have 20 days to file a response; missing that window can lead to a default judgment.
What are the residency requirements to file in Broward County?
To file for divorce in Broward County, at least one spouse must have lived in Florida for 6 months immediately before filing the petition, under Florida Statute § 61.021. You do not need to have lived specifically in Hollywood or Broward County for any set time; statewide residency is what the court requires for jurisdiction.
Residency is proven with a Florida driver license, a Florida voter registration card, a Florida ID card, or the sworn testimony of a corroborating witness. Without meeting the 6-month rule, the circuit court lacks subject matter jurisdiction and cannot grant a divorce even if both spouses agree. If you recently moved to Hollywood, count six full months of Florida residency before filing.
How is property divided in a Hollywood divorce?
Florida divides marital property by equitable distribution under § 61.075, starting from a presumption of a 50/50 split of assets and debts acquired during the marriage. Nonmarital property, such as assets owned before marriage or received by gift or inheritance, is set aside to the original owner. A 2024 amendment clarified how courts value closely held businesses and interspousal real estate gifts.
Equitable does not always mean equal. A judge can divide marital property unequally to do justice, considering factors like the length of the marriage, each spouse's contribution, and any intentional waste of assets within two years before filing. The cutoff date for classifying assets as marital is now the earlier of a valid separation agreement or the filing of the petition. For a Hollywood couple with a beach condo and retirement accounts, that classification work is where most disputes arise. The property division guide explains the seven-step analysis Florida courts use.
What changed in Florida alimony and custody law for 2026?
Florida eliminated permanent alimony for any divorce filed on or after July 1, 2023, under § 61.08. Courts now award only temporary, bridge-the-gap, rehabilitative, or durational alimony, with durational support capped at 35% of the difference between the spouses' net incomes. These rules govern every Hollywood case filed in 2026.
The 2023 reforms also rewrote custody law. Under § 61.13, there is now a rebuttable presumption that equal 50/50 time-sharing serves the child's best interest. A Hollywood parent who opposes equal time-sharing must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that it would not benefit the child, and the court still weighs all statutory best-interest factors. The reform also eased modifications, requiring only a substantial and material change in circumstances. Estimate support figures with the child support calculator and the alimony estimator.