Updated August 2026
Alimony in Hillsborough County, Florida
A plain-language guide to alimony in Hillsborough County, FL, from how amount and duration are set to the forms you file at the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Hillsborough County and how to prepare your paperwork without hiring an attorney.
Bay Area Legal Services runs two free programs that help pro se filers with Hillsborough County alimony cases. The Family Forms Clinic meets at the George E. Edgecomb Courthouse in Tampa, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am to 2pm, walk-in only. The Legal Information Program meets at the Plant City Courthouse, Tuesdays from 10am to 2pm. Both programs serve Hillsborough County family law cases only.
You request alimony inside a dissolution of marriage petition, not as a separate filing. Most Hillsborough family cases, including those with an alimony request, are filed and heard at the Edgecomb Courthouse. The filing fee is $408. Pay it through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, or file on paper for the filing types the portal does not accept.
Fla. Stat. 61.08, effective July 1, 2023, removed permanent alimony across Florida. Hillsborough judges use the same framework as the rest of the state: temporary support during the case, bridge-the-gap support capped at 2 years, rehabilitative support tied to a plan and capped at 5 years, or durational support, with the length set by how long the marriage lasted.
Both spouses must file a financial affidavit before a judge will hear an alimony request: Form 12.902(b) for incomes above $50,000 a year, or Form 12.902(c) for incomes below that.
Where alimony cases are heard in Hillsborough County, FL
Alimony matters in Hillsborough County, FL are handled by the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Hillsborough County, with the county seat in Tampa. 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 Hillsborough 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 Hillsborough County, FL
The Family Forms Clinic only takes walk-ins on Wednesdays and Fridays, so plan around that schedule instead of expecting daily help. Call (813) 864-2280, option 2, with questions beforehand. If Plant City is closer for you, its Legal Information Program runs Tuesdays only and covers general procedure, not form completion.
In the Thirteenth Circuit, contested alimony amounts can be referred to mediation as part of standard case management. Bay Area Legal Services also runs a Legal Information Center and a Legal Aid Line, (800) 625-2257, which can explain what to expect before a mediation session. Neither one can represent you or predict an outcome.
Both self-help programs serve Hillsborough County family law cases only. If your marriage or your spouse's residence connects to another county, ask staff whether Hillsborough is even the right venue before you rely on either clinic.
Official alimony resources in Hillsborough County, FL
George E. Edgecomb Courthouse handles spousal-support filings, located at 800 E. Twiggs Street, Tampa 33602. Plant City Courthouse at 301 N. Michigan Ave. handles A weekly Legal Information Program clinic touching family law cases; most family filings and hearings, including alimony matters, otherwise happen at the Edgecomb Courthouse in Tampa.
The filing fee is $408. E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com/. Most documents are filed through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal; certain filings must still be submitted on paper directly to the Clerk.
Family Law Self-Help Programs (Bay Area Legal Services) (https://www.fljud13.org/Resources/Self-Help/Family-Law-Self-Help-Programs) can help with procedure and paperwork. Two free programs run by Bay Area Legal Services: the Family Forms Clinic at George Edgecomb Courthouse, Room 210, Wednesdays and Fridays 10am to 2pm, walk-in only, (813) 864-2280 option 2; and the Legal Information Program at the Plant City Courthouse, Room 2085, Tuesdays 10am to 2pm. Both are limited to Hillsborough County family law cases.
- Thirteenth Judicial Circuit - Family Law Self-Help Programs
- Hillsborough Clerk - Family Law
- Florida Courts E-Filing Portal
- Fla. Stat. 61.08 - Alimony
Local details reviewed August 2026. Offices and locations can change, so confirm with the official sites above before you file.
Get the free Florida alimony roadmap
A short PDF that walks through how alimony is calculated, the forms, and filing steps for Hillsborough County. No spam, one email.
We'll send you the roadmap plus occasional filing guides. Unsubscribe anytime.
Hillsborough County, FL Alimony FAQs
Where do I file for alimony in Hillsborough County?
You request alimony inside a dissolution of marriage petition, filed at the George E. Edgecomb Courthouse in Tampa or through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal. The filing fee is $408. The Family Forms Clinic at the courthouse, open Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am to 2pm, can help you complete the paperwork.
Does Hillsborough County still allow permanent alimony?
No. Fla. Stat. 61.08, rewritten effective July 1, 2023, eliminated permanent alimony statewide, including in Hillsborough. Instead, a judge chooses among temporary, bridge-the-gap, rehabilitative, or durational support, based on the marriage's length and the facts of the case.
What is the Family Forms Clinic in Hillsborough County?
It's a free, walk-in program run by Bay Area Legal Services at the George E. Edgecomb Courthouse, Room 210, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am to 2pm. Staff help you complete family law forms, including the financial affidavit an alimony request needs. They cannot give legal advice or predict a judge's ruling.
Is there family law self-help in Plant City for Hillsborough alimony cases?
Yes. The Legal Information Program meets at the Plant City Courthouse, Room 2085, Tuesdays from 10am to 2pm. It serves Hillsborough County family law cases only and gives general procedural information. Form completion is handled instead at the Tampa Family Forms Clinic.
What is the durational alimony cap in Hillsborough County?
Durational alimony isn't available for marriages under 3 years. Its length caps at 50 percent of the marriage for marriages under 10 years, 60 percent for 10 to 20 years, and 75 percent for 20 years or longer. The amount caps at whichever is lower: reasonable need, or 35 percent of the income gap between spouses.
Will my Hillsborough County alimony dispute go to mediation?
It can. Thirteenth Circuit family cases, including contested alimony, may be referred to mediation as part of standard case management. Bay Area Legal Services' Legal Aid Line, (800) 625-2257, can explain the general process. It cannot represent you at mediation, though.
This page is general information about Florida alimony procedure in Hillsborough 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 Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Hillsborough 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.
Start my Hillsborough County, FL alimony paperwork
Virdix guides you through the Florida Supreme Court approved family law forms your case needs, so your paperwork is complete and consistent before you file.
If the court clerk rejects a document we prepared, we fix it for free until it's accepted. See how the guarantee works