Alimony in Putnam County, Florida

The Putnam County Courthouse in Palatka houses both the Family Self-Help Program and the Clerk's family division in the same room, Rm. 126, open Monday through Friday from 8am to noon and 1 to 5pm. Alimony requests are filed there as part of a dissolution case and heard by Seventh Circuit family judges.

Putnam's own fee-schedule PDF lists the dissolution of marriage filing fee, which also covers simplified dissolution and annulment, at $408.00. That is one of the more clearly documented fee pages in the Seventh Circuit. Once the case is filed, a judge's award follows Fla. Stat. 61.08, reformed effective July 1, 2023. That reform eliminated permanent alimony statewide and left four options: 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 has a further cap: the lesser of demonstrated need or 35 percent of the income gap between the spouses. It is not available for marriages under three years. Both spouses must also complete a Financial Affidavit, Form 12.902(b) or 12.902(c) depending on income. The on-site Self-Help Program can assist with the procedural side of that paperwork, but staff there cannot give legal advice.

Putnam also participates in the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, so a self-represented filer working from the Palatka courthouse can e-file finished paperwork instead of relying only on the in-person counter.

Where alimony cases are heard in Putnam County, FL

Alimony matters in Putnam County, FL are handled by the Seventh Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Putnam County, with the county seat in Palatka. 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 Putnam 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 Putnam County, FL

Because the Family Self-Help Program shares Rm. 126 with the Clerk's family division, Putnam filers can often handle both filing and procedural questions in one trip to the courthouse instead of visiting separate offices.

Contested alimony matters in the Seventh Circuit, which covers Putnam along with Flagler, St. Johns, and Volusia counties, generally go to mediation under Fla. Stat. 61.183, with fees meant to follow the statewide sliding scale in Fla. Stat. 44.108. No Putnam-specific fee table appears on a verifiable official page, so confirm the current cost with the Clerk's office at (386) 329-1911.

Putnam's $408.00 fee-schedule PDF is more directly published than some other Seventh Circuit counties' fee pages. Filers here have a clearer starting figure to budget from than in counties where the fee is not published at all.

Official alimony resources in Putnam County, FL

Putnam County Courthouse handles spousal-support filings, located at 410 St. Johns Ave., Rm. 126, Palatka 32177. Phone: (386) 329-1911.

The filing fee is $408. E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. Statewide portal; filing fee confirmed at $408.00 directly from the Clerk's own fee-schedule PDF, 'Dissolution of Marriage, Simplified Dissolution, Annulment $408.00.'

Seventh Judicial Circuit Family Self-Help Program (Putnam) (https://circuit7.org/family-court-services/) can help with procedure and paperwork. Located at the Putnam County Courthouse, Rm. 126, Palatka, (386) 329-1911, Mon-Fri 8am-noon and 1-5pm. Assists self-represented litigants with proper court procedures and forms for divorce, custody, and related family matters; cannot give legal advice.

• Seventh Judicial Circuit Family Self-Help Program
• Putnam Clerk Fee Schedule (PDF)
• 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.

Putnam County, FL Alimony FAQs