Alimony in St. Johns County, Florida

St. Johns County's Family Division page states that Florida's 6-month residency requirement applies before you can file. It also offers two ways to assemble your dissolution paperwork: TurboCourt, an interview-based DIY tool, or the Clerk's own paper Forms Library. An alimony request is filed as part of that dissolution case, at the Richard O. Watson Judicial Center in St. Augustine, and heard by Seventh Circuit family judges.

Unlike several neighboring counties, St. Johns does not publish a specific dissolution filing fee on its own site. The Clerk's Petition for Dissolution of Marriage document says filing requires paying a fee, but it doesn't state an amount. Call the Family Division at (904) 819-3600 or email familydl@stjohnsclerk.com to confirm the current figure before filing a case that includes an alimony claim.

The alimony law itself is clear. Fla. Stat. 61.08, reformed effective July 1, 2023, eliminated permanent alimony statewide. A Seventh Circuit judge in St. Johns now chooses among 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, or durational support, capped as a percentage of the marriage's length.

Durational alimony is capped further, at the lesser of demonstrated need or 35 percent of the income gap between the spouses, and it's unavailable for marriages under three years. Both spouses must file a Financial Affidavit, Form 12.902(b) or 12.902(c) depending on income. St. Johns also participates in the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, linked directly from its own Family Law page.

Where alimony cases are heard in St. Johns County, FL

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

St. Johns's own site doesn't publish a filing fee. Call (904) 819-3600 or email familydl@stjohnsclerk.com before assuming any specific dollar figure. The Clerk's Petition PDF only says a fee applies; it doesn't state the amount.

Contested alimony issues in the Seventh Circuit, which includes St. Johns along with Flagler, Putnam, and Volusia counties, are generally referred to mediation under Fla. Stat. 61.183. Fees are meant to follow the statewide sliding scale in Fla. Stat. 44.108. No St. Johns-specific fee table is published on a verifiable official page, so confirm current cost with the Family Division.

Filers choosing between TurboCourt and the paper Forms Library should note the difference: TurboCourt walks through an interview format that builds the documents automatically, while the Forms Library requires filling out the Form 12.901 series by hand.

Official alimony resources in St. Johns County, FL

Richard O. Watson Judicial Center handles spousal-support filings, located at 4010 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine 32084. Phone: (904) 819-3600.

E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. stjohnsclerk.com's Family Law page links directly to the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal and to TurboCourt for interview-based form generation; self-represented parties may also use the Clerk's paper Forms Library.

St. Johns Clerk Family Division page (https://stjohnsclerk.com/court-records/family-law/) can help with procedure and paperwork. Contact familydl@stjohnsclerk.com, 904-819-3600. Covers dissolution of marriage, states the 6-month Florida residency requirement, and links to the Forms Library and TurboCourt for self-represented litigants.

• St. Johns Clerk Family Division page
• Florida Courts E-Filing Portal
• Florida Statutes Section 61.08, Alimony
• FloridaLawHelp.org

Local details reviewed August 2026. Offices and locations can change, so confirm with the official sites above before you file.

St. Johns County, FL Alimony FAQs