Alimony in Washington County, Florida

The Clerk of Court in Chipley publishes dissolution packet PDFs that list a $397.50 filing fee. The same packet says this fee also applies to the identical Fourteenth Circuit form used in Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, and Jackson counties, showing how closely these five counties share paperwork. An alimony request is filed within that dissolution case and heard by Fourteenth Circuit family judges at the Washington County Courthouse.

The alimony law applies statewide. Fla. Stat. 61.08, reformed effective July 1, 2023, eliminated permanent alimony in Florida. A Washington judge now chooses among temporary support paid while the 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 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. Both spouses must also complete a Financial Affidavit, Form 12.902(b) or 12.902(c) depending on income, before a judge can decide the request. This uses the same packet that covers five of the circuit's six counties.

Washington County participates in the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal. Filers who want to confirm current procedure by phone before relying on the packet PDFs can reach the Clerk's office at (850) 638-6285.

Where alimony cases are heard in Washington County, FL

Alimony matters in Washington County, FL are handled by the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Washington County, with the county seat in Chipley. 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 Washington 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 Washington County, FL

Washington's dissolution packet doubles as the shared Fourteenth Circuit form for Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, and Jackson counties. Filers moving between these five counties can expect largely the same paperwork, though each Clerk's office collects its own fee.

The Fourteenth Circuit includes Washington along with Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, and Jackson counties. Contested alimony matters there are generally referred to mediation under Fla. Stat. 61.183, with fees meant to follow the statewide sliding scale in Fla. Stat. 44.108. Washington does not publish a county-specific mediation fee table on a verifiable official page, so confirm the current cost with the Clerk's office.

The $397.50 figure comes from packet PDFs whose file path is dated 2020. It remains the Clerk's current live-linked document, but filers should confirm the exact current fee with the office at (850) 638-6285 rather than treat an older PDF as a guaranteed price.

Official alimony resources in Washington County, FL

Washington County Courthouse handles spousal-support filings, located at 1293 Jackson Ave, Chipley 32428. Phone: (850) 638-6285.

The filing fee is $397.50. E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. Statewide portal covers Washington County as part of the Fourteenth Circuit.

Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Family Law Forms (https://jud14.flcourts.org/family-law/family-law-forms) can help with procedure and paperwork. Filing fee confirmed at $397.50 from the Clerk's own dissolution packet PDFs, which state the same fee also applies to Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, and Jackson counties under a shared Fourteenth Circuit packet.

• Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Family Law Forms
• Washington 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.

Washington County, FL Alimony FAQs