Exhibit A
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT, SEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT,
IN AND FOR ____________________________COUNTY
STANDING FAMILY LAW COURT ORDER
Pursuant to Administrative Order, this order applies to both parties in dissolution of marriage, paternity and support
actions. It informs the parties about their duties and responsibilities, as well as issues that may arise during their
court proceeding. It is important for the parties to preserve their assets, act in the best interests of their children and
comply with all Court rules and orders. The terms of this order are effective with regard to the Petitioner upon
filing of the petition. The terms of this order apply to the Respondent upon service of the summons and petition, or
upon waiver and acceptance of service. The terms of this order will remain in place during the pendency of this
action unless modified, terminated, or amended by further order of the Court. Therefore, the parties are hereby
advised and ORDERED:
1. ATTENDING AN APPROVED 4-HOUR PARENTING COURSE. Pursuant to § 61.21, Florida
Statutes, in all cases involving a determination of parental responsibility or time-sharing, both parties are
required to attend and complete a Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course. The Petitioner is to
complete the course within 45 days of the filing of the petition and the Respondent within 45 days of
service of the petition. A list of approved courses and providers may be obtained from the Clerk of the
Court or online at www.circuit7.org.
2. BRINGING MINOR CHILDREN TO COURT TO TESTIFY REQUIRES A COURT ORDER.
Pursuant to Rule 12.407, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, an order must be obtained from the
judge before a minor child may testify in a court proceeding. Therefore, except in certain circumstances
(ie. dependency, delinquency, adoption, name change) children may not attend court proceedings unless
the judge has issued an order allowing them to testify.
3. RELOCATION
OF
CHILDREN. Neither
party
may
permanently
relocate minor
children of
the parties
to a
location that
is fifty
(50)
miles
or
more from
their
primary
residence, nor
cause
minor
children
of
the
parties to be moved fifty
(50)
miles or
more from
their
primary
residence without
the
written
consent
of
the other
party, or
without
an order
from
the judge.
In addition, any
relocation of
minor
children of
the
parties must comply with the provisions of
§ 61.13001, Florida Statutes.
4. CHILD
SUPPORT.
If
there
is
an
existing
court
order
regarding
child
support
(including
a domestic
violence
injunction), or
a child support
agreement
signed by
both parties, the parties must
continue to
follow
the terms of
that
order
or
agreement.
If
the parties
have minor
children and choose
to live apart
while
the action is
pending, the
parent
with whom
the children are not
residing
for
a
majority
of
the
time
should make voluntary
payments of
child support
to the
other
parent, prior
to the
entry
of
an order
requiring
payment
of
child support.
Since child support
can be ordered retroactively, it
is advisable that
the party
making
payments keep proof
of
said payments and bring
them
to court.
Signed receipts should
be obtained for
any
cash payments.
Unless the party
making
payments can prove they
were made, they
may
not
receive proper
credit
for
having
made
them.
Parent/child
access
and child
support
are
separate
and distinct
under
the law.
Accordingly, a child’s right
to have access
to his/her
parent
is not
contingent
upon the payment
of
child
support.
That
means a parent
may not
deny
access
to the children solely
because
the other parent is delinquent on a support obligation.
5. CONTACT
WITH BOTH
PARENTS. It
is the public
policy
of
the State
of
Florida that
it
is in the best
interest of children that their parents confer with each other
and jointly make all major decisions affecting
the welfare of
their
children.
Except
in certain circumstances, contact
with both parents is generally
believed to
be in the
children’s best
interest
and children are
entitled to have frequent
and continuing
contact
with both parents when the parents
separate
or
divorce.
Further, each parent
has
an affirmative
obligation
to
encourage and nurture a relationship
between
the children and the
other
parent.
Neither
parent may
restrict the other’s contact with the children unless by Court
order.
6. FINANCIAL
AFFIDAVIT. Pursuant
to Rule 12.285(b)
Florida Family
Law
Rules
of
Procedure, each
party
must
file a Family
Law
Financial
Affidavit
[form
12.902(b)
or
(c)]
with the Clerk
of
the Court, ten
(10) days prior
to the first hearing where financial relief is sought by either party, or ten (10) days prior
to
the first Case Management Conference, whichever occurs first.
7. MAINTAINING FINANCIAL STATUS. Neither party in a dissolution of marriage action may
conceal, damage, deplete, encumber, transfer, assign nor dispose of any asset, whether jointly or
separately owned, nor may either party dissipate the value of any asset, except by written consent of the
parties or court order. In addition, neither party may incur any unreasonable debts, including, but not
limited to, further unreasonable use of credit/bank cards or cash advances against credit/bank cards.
Neither party may cancel, nor cause to be canceled, any utility services, including, but not limited to,
telephone, cell phone, Internet, electric, water or sewer. Notwithstanding, the parties may spend their
incomes in the ordinary course of their business, personal and family affairs. Neither party may conceal,
hoard, nor waste jointly-owned funds, whether in the form of cash, bank accounts, retirement accounts, or
other highly liquid assets, except that said funds can be spent for the necessities of life. Reasonable
attorney’s fees and costs are “necessities.” Both parties must be prepared to account for the use of funds
or income after separation.
8. INSURANCES. Each party must maintain existing beneficiaries of any life insurance policies. Each
party must maintain existing life insurance, automobile insurance, homeowner’s and/or renter’s insurance
policies in full force and effect. Neither party may remove, nor cause to be removed, the other party or
children from any medical, hospital or dental insurance coverages. Each party must maintain existing
medical, hospital and dental insurance coverage in full force and effect.
9. REQUIRED NOTICE. Except in instances where the judge has issued an order to the contrary, each
party must provide his/her residence address, email address, and phone numbers (residence, work & cell)
to the other party. Likewise, each party must communicate any and all changes to this information to the
other party.
FAILURE TO OBEY THIS ORDER MAY BE PUNISHABLE BY CONTEMPT OF COURT
If you wish to modify this order, you must file an appropriate motion with the Family Law division of the Clerk’s
Office in the county where the action is pending.
