Alimony in Lee County, Florida

Lee County has more family judges and magistrates than any other county in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit. Each one publishes a separate JACS scheduling procedure as its own PDF. Confirm which judge or magistrate your alimony case is assigned to before assuming one generic process applies to your case. Cases are heard at the Lee County Justice Center in Fort Myers.

You request alimony inside a dissolution of marriage petition, not as a separate filing. The Justice Center's Self-Help Center, on the first floor, offers free virtual legal consultations through Lee County Legal Aid, plus notary services and public computers. Leeclerk.org's own page blocked automated verification for this guide, so call ahead to confirm current hours before you go.

Fla. Stat. 61.08 was rewritten effective July 1, 2023, and ended permanent alimony statewide, including in Lee County. A judge here now chooses among 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 a length set by how long the marriage lasted.

Both spouses must file a financial affidavit before a judge will hear the alimony request: Form 12.902(b) if annual income is above $50,000, or 12.902(c) if it's below that. Leeclerk.org blocks automated access to its fee page, so the exact current filing fee isn't listed here. Expect a figure close to what other Florida counties charge, roughly $400, and confirm the exact total with the clerk.

Where alimony cases are heard in Lee County, FL

Alimony matters in Lee County, FL are handled by the Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Lee County, with the county seat in Fort Myers. 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 Lee 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 Lee County, FL

Lee is the Twentieth Circuit's largest county, and it schedules mediation through the same JACS calendar and Admin. Order 1.16 framework used across the circuit, with income-based eligibility under Fla. Stat. 44.108. Lee also has more judges and magistrates than any other county here, each with a separate scheduling PDF. Ask your case manager which specific procedure applies to your assigned division.

The clerk's site advertises TurboCourt as a paid option for preparing dissolution forms. Leeclerk.org blocks automated access, so exact current pricing isn't available here. The Self-Help Center can also help prepare forms at no cost through its Legal Aid partnership.

Several of Lee County's clerk pages block automated access. Call or visit the Self-Help Center in person to confirm current fees, hours, and forms rather than relying on what you find online.

Official alimony resources in Lee County, FL

Lee County Justice Center handles spousal-support filings, located at 2075 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Fort Myers 33901.

The filing fee is roughly $400 (leeclerk.org blocks automated verification; confirm exact amount with the clerk). E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com/. Florida Courts E-Filing Portal; TurboCourt is also advertised for form preparation for an additional cost, though leeclerk.org blocks automated verification so exact current pricing could not be confirmed for this guide.

Self-Help Center (Lee County Justice Center) (https://www.ca.cjis20.org/About-The-Court/Locations/leecounty.aspx) can help with procedure and paperwork. The clerk's own leeclerk.org self-help page describes a Self-Help Center on the 1st floor of the Lee County Justice Center offering free virtual legal consultations through Lee County Legal Aid, notary services, and public access computers; leeclerk.org blocked automated verification for this guide, so confirm current hours by phone before visiting. Admin. Order 1.16 (Court-Ordered Mediation in Circuit Civil, Family, Dependency & County Court Civil Cases) applies; see https://www.ca.cjis20.org/Documents/admin-orders.aspx.

• Twentieth Judicial Circuit - Lee County Justice Center
• Twentieth Judicial Circuit - JACS Online Scheduling
• 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.

Lee County, FL Alimony FAQs