Updated August 2026
Alimony in Duval County, Florida
A plain-language guide to alimony in Duval County, FL, from how amount and duration are set to the forms you file at the Fourth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Duval County and how to prepare your paperwork without hiring an attorney.
Duval is Florida's most populous Fourth Circuit county, and its family law docket stays busy at the Duval County Courthouse in downtown Jacksonville. An alimony request is filed there as part of a dissolution case. The Clerk's own Family Law page names the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal as its e-filing route, and it links out to Family Court Services checklists for self-represented litigants.
Every Duval alimony case runs on the same statute used across Florida. Fla. Stat. 61.08, reformed effective July 1, 2023, removed permanent alimony statewide. Four types remain: temporary support, paid while a case is pending; bridge-the-gap support, capped at two years; rehabilitative support, built around a specific plan and capped at five years; and durational support, capped as a percentage of the marriage's length.
Durational alimony cannot exceed the lesser of demonstrated need or 35 percent of the income gap between the spouses, and it is unavailable for marriages under three years. Duval's dissolution filing fee runs near $400; call the Clerk's office to confirm the current amount before filing.
The Fourth Judicial Circuit's Family Court Services Self-Help program also covers Clay and Nassau counties. Reach it at (904) 255-1060 through the Duval Clerk. It offers procedural help with the Form 12.902 Financial Affidavit, which both spouses need to file before a judge rules on alimony.
Where alimony cases are heard in Duval County, FL
Alimony matters in Duval County, FL are handled by the Fourth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Duval County, with the county seat in Jacksonville. Because courthouse locations, hours, and local procedures change over time, use the Florida court clerk directory to confirm current details for your case:
Find the Duval County, FL Clerk of Court (Florida court clerk directory)
How alimony works in Florida
Florida ended permanent alimony in a 2023 reform to Florida Statutes chapter 61 (section 61.08). Today a judge can order bridge-the-gap alimony (short-term, to help a spouse transition, capped at two years), rehabilitative alimony (tied to a specific plan to become self-supporting), durational alimony (a set period, generally not longer than the length of the marriage, except in exceptional circumstances), or temporary alimony while the case is pending. There is no formula the way there is for child support; a judge weighs each spouse's need and ability to pay, the standard of living during the marriage, the length of the marriage, and the factors listed in section 61.08.
Alimony is requested inside a dissolution of marriage case, using each spouse's Financial Affidavit (Florida Supreme Court approved family law form 12.902(b) or 12.902(c) depending on income), and can be resolved by agreement or decided at trial. Temporary alimony while the case is pending is requested by motion; your circuit's procedures determine how that motion gets set for hearing.
Local notes for Duval County, FL
Jacksonville runs a large, high-volume court system, so Duval filers should expect a more formal case-management process for scheduling a contested alimony hearing than in Clay or Nassau, the Fourth Circuit's smaller counties.
Contested alimony matters in the Fourth Circuit, which covers Duval along with Clay and Nassau counties, are generally referred to mediation under Fla. Stat. 61.183. Fees follow the statewide sliding scale in Fla. Stat. 44.108. Duval does not publish its own mediation fee table, so call the Clerk's office to confirm current cost.
Duval's Family Law page directs self-represented filers to Family Court Services checklists rather than hosting its own complete packet. Pair that page with the Fourth Circuit's shared Self-Help resource at jud4.org for the fullest picture of what a Duval alimony filing requires.
Official alimony resources in Duval County, FL
Duval County Courthouse handles spousal-support filings, located at 501 West Adams Street, Jacksonville 32202. Phone: (904) 255-2000.
The filing fee is about $400 (confirm exact amount with the clerk). E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. Statewide portal; Duval's own Family Law page also names myflcourtaccess.com as its e-filing route.
Fourth Judicial Circuit Family Court Services Self-Help (https://www.jud4.org/family-court-services/self-help) can help with procedure and paperwork. States it serves Clay, Duval, and Nassau Counties. Duval Clerk's own Family Law page also links to Family Court Services checklists and to flcourts.gov for self-help forms; phone (904) 255-1060.
- Fourth Judicial Circuit Family Court Services Self-Help
- Duval Clerk of Court
- Florida Courts E-Filing Portal
- Florida Statutes Section 61.08, Alimony
Local details reviewed August 2026. Offices and locations can change, so confirm with the official sites above before you file.
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Duval County, FL Alimony FAQs
Where do I file for alimony in Duval County?
File alimony requests with the Clerk of Court at the Duval County Courthouse, 501 West Adams Street in downtown Jacksonville, as part of a dissolution case. You can also e-file through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal at myflcourtaccess.com, the route named on the Clerk's own Family Law page.
How much does it cost to file for alimony in Duval County?
There is no separate alimony filing fee. It rides with the underlying dissolution case, which runs near $400. Call the Duval Clerk's office at (904) 255-1060 to confirm the current amount before filing.
Can a Duval County judge award permanent alimony?
No. Florida eliminated permanent alimony statewide effective July 1, 2023, and Duval's Fourth Circuit judges follow that same rule. A judge can instead award temporary, bridge-the-gap, rehabilitative, or durational alimony under Fla. Stat. 61.08, each with its own duration limit.
Does Duval County have a family law self-help center?
Yes. The Fourth Judicial Circuit's Family Court Services Self-Help program also serves Clay and Nassau counties. Duval's own Family Law page links to Family Court Services checklists and to flcourts.gov for additional self-help forms.
Is mediation required for contested alimony in Duval County?
Contested Fourth Circuit family matters, including disputed alimony, are generally referred to mediation under Fla. Stat. 61.183. Fees follow the statewide sliding scale in Fla. Stat. 44.108. Duval does not publish its own mediation fee table, so call the Clerk's office to confirm current cost.
What financial forms does a Duval County alimony case require?
Both spouses must file a Financial Affidavit: Form 12.902(b) for individual income of $50,000 or more a year, or Form 12.902(c) below that. A judge weighs that information against the alimony factors in Fla. Stat. 61.08, the same statewide requirement in every Florida county, including Duval.
This page is general information about Florida alimony procedure in Duval County, FL, not legal advice for your situation. Amounts and duration depend on your specific facts and the judge's discretion; nothing here predicts an outcome in your case. Court locations, forms, and filing details change; always confirm current details with the Fourth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Duval County or the official Florida family court self-help program resources. Virdix is not a law firm and is not a substitute for an attorney.
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