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A contested divorce in Broward County’s 17th Judicial Circuit takes 12 to 24 months from filing to final judgment in most cases. Total attorney fees for a contested matter range from $15,000 to $40,000 as of 2026, depending on whether custody, business assets, or hidden finances are in dispute.
The same factors that extend the timeline — unresolved custody, discovery disputes, and trial preparation — are the same factors that drive total cost upward.
A contested Broward divorce that runs past 18 months costs $15,000 to $30,000 more than one resolved at mediation. Contact Levine Family Law to understand your realistic timeline and cost exposure before the first filing.
A contested divorce in Broward County’s 17th Judicial Circuit takes 12 to 24 months from the date the petition is served on the respondent to the date a judge enters the final judgment of dissolution. Cases that proceed to trial — rather than resolving through mediation or a negotiated marital settlement agreement — regularly exceed 24 months.
A Fort Lauderdale divorce attorney familiar with the 17th Circuit’s docket can give a realistic timeline projection based on your case’s specific dispute profile before any filing occurs.
Broward County family court dockets have significant scheduling backlogs, and trial dates in contested matters are typically set 9 to 14 months after the case is certified trial-ready.
Florida law imposes a mandatory 20-day waiting period after service of the petition before any final judgment may be entered, under Florida Statute § 61.19. That 20-day window is the floor, not the ceiling — in contested cases, the real timeline is set by discovery, mediation scheduling, motion practice, and court availability.
The 17th Judicial Circuit serves Broward County exclusively and operates the Family Law Division at the Broward County Courthouse, 201 SE 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale.
Case progression timelines in the 17th Circuit are published through the Florida Office of the State Courts Administrator, which tracks median disposition times by circuit and case type.
Every contested Broward County divorce moves through identifiable phases, each carrying its own time range depending on case complexity and party cooperation.
| Phase | Description | Typical Duration |
| Filing and service | Petition filed, respondent served, mandatory disclosures initiated | 2 – 6 weeks |
| Discovery and financial disclosure | Mandatory Form 12.902 exchange, interrogatories, depositions, subpoenas | 3 – 9 months |
| Mediation | Required before contested hearing in Broward County; one or more sessions | 1 – 3 months |
| Motion practice and hearings | Temporary relief motions, enforcement motions, and pre-trial hearings | 2 – 8 months |
| Trial or settlement | Final negotiated agreement or contested trial before a Broward County judge | 1 – 6 months |
Discovery, motion practice, and mediation phases overlap in active contested cases. Discovery often runs concurrently with motion practice, and mediation may be attempted multiple times before a settlement is reached or the case is certified for trial.
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Three categories of dispute consistently extend the timeline of a contested divorce in Broward County beyond the 12-to-24-month average.
Custody disputes are the single most significant timeline extender in Broward County family court.
Any disagreement over parental responsibility, timesharing schedules, or relocation under Florida Statute §61.13 triggers additional procedural requirements — a parenting course, a social investigation in some cases, and multiple hearings before a judge issues a temporary timesharing order.
Contested custody matters in Broward County typically add 4 to 8 months to the overall case timeline when a social investigation is ordered.
Contested property division in Florida follows the equitable distribution standard under Florida Statute §61.075, which requires full financial disclosure from both parties.
When one spouse refuses to produce documents, undervalues business interests, or conceals assets, the discovering party must file motions to compel, issue subpoenas to financial institutions, and, in some cases, retain a forensic accountant.
Each enforcement step adds 30 to 90 days to the discovery phase and generates additional attorney fees at each interval.
The 17th Judicial Circuit’s Family Law Division operates under consistent scheduling pressure. A contested hearing requiring a Broward County family judge — rather than a general magistrate — is typically set 60 to 120 days after the motion is filed.
Trial dates in fully contested matters are set 9 to 14 months after the case is certified trial-ready. Neither party’s attorney controls the court calendar, and continuances — requested by either side or granted by the judge — add additional months to the resolution timeline.
A contested divorce in Broward County generates $15,000 to $40,000 in total attorney fees as of 2026 for most cases that resolve before trial, based on hourly billing at Broward County rates.
Cases proceeding to a full contested trial generate attorney fees that regularly exceed $50,000 based on the same billing structure. High-net-worth divorces involving business valuations, investment portfolios, or real estate can result in total legal fees exceeding $75,000 in some cases.
These figures represent attorney fees only. Court costs, mediation fees, expert witness fees, forensic accountant fees, and guardian ad litem costs are billed separately and add to the total case expense.
| Phase | Typical Attorney Fee Range | Primary Cost Driver |
| Filing and initial disclosures | $1,500 – $4,000 | Document preparation, petition drafting, and financial affidavit |
| Discovery | $4,000 – $12,000 | Interrogatories, depositions, subpoenas, motion to compel |
| Mediation preparation and attendance | $1,500 – $3,500 | Attorney prep time, mediation session attendance |
| Motion practice and hearings | $3,000 – $10,000 | Brief writing, hearing prep, court appearances |
| Trial preparation and trial | $8,000 – $20,000+ | Exhibit prep, witness prep, full trial days |
Attorney fees in a contested Broward divorce are not front-loaded — the largest cost concentrations occur in discovery and trial preparation, the two phases most affected by the opposing party’s conduct.
A spouse who hides marital assets, refuses discovery requests, or demands trial over a reasonable settlement offer drives up both parties’ total fees.
The financial difference between settling at mediation and proceeding to trial in a contested divorce in Broward County is significant.
A case that settles at or before the second mediation session avoids trial preparation costs entirely — typically saving $8,000 to $20,000 in attorney fees and 6 to 12 months of calendar time.
A case certified for trial after failed mediation carries the full phase cost stack, plus the risk that the judge’s final ruling on equitable distribution or alimony produces an outcome neither party preferred.
Broward County family court judges strongly encourage settlement, and mediation is required before any contested hearing in the 17th Circuit. Judges have discretion to order additional mediation sessions when a negotiated resolution appears achievable.
If you’re ready to get started, call us now!
Case complexity acts as a multiplier on both the timeline and the cost. The table below maps three complexity tiers to their expected timeline and fee ranges in Broward County as of 2026.
| Complexity Tier | Key Characteristics | Expected Timeline | Total Attorney Fees |
| Standard contested | Disputed timesharing or asset division; cooperative discovery | 12 – 18 months | $15,000 – $25,000 |
| High-conflict contested | Custody battle, hidden assets, or business valuation dispute | 18 – 30 months | $25,000 – $50,000 |
| Trial-track contested | Failed mediation, full discovery, expert witnesses, contested trial | 24 – 36+ months | $50,000 – $100,000+ |
A standard contested case in Broward County involves genuine disagreement on timesharing or asset division but proceeds through discovery and mediation without enforcement motions or forensic analysis.
A high-conflict case involves at least one of three aggravating factors: a custody dispute requiring a social investigation, a financial dispute requiring subpoenas or expert analysis, or a spouse engaging in high-conflict litigation tactics that generate motion practice at every stage.
A trial-track case carries all of those factors plus a failed mediation, positioning the matter for a full evidentiary hearing before a Broward County circuit judge.
Every month a contested Broward divorce stays unresolved adds attorney fees and extends the disruption to your life. Reach out to Levine Family Law to map the realistic timeline for your specific case and identify where resolution is achievable.
The most effective actions a Broward County divorce client can take to reduce both timeline and total cost are within the client’s control, not the court’s.
Produce financial documents promptly. The financial disclosure required under Florida Family Law Rule 12.285 is mandatory in every dissolution case. Clients who gather and produce bank statements, tax returns, retirement account statements, and property valuations ahead of schedule compress the discovery phase by 30 to 60 days and eliminate the opposing party’s basis for a motion to compel.
Engage in mediation with a realistic settlement position. Broward County mediators are trained to identify bridgeable gaps between parties. A client who enters mediation with a documented, reasonable settlement position — rather than a maximalist demand — creates conditions for resolution in one or two sessions instead of three or four. Each avoided mediation session saves $1,500 to $3,500 in attorney preparation and attendance fees.
Limit post-filing communication disputes. Co-parenting conflicts that escalate into emergency motions, contempt filings, or enforcement proceedings each require attorney hours billed against the retainer. Every emergency motion filed during a pending Broward County divorce adds $1,500 to $4,000 in fees and introduces a new court date — extending both the calendar and the cost.
Accept a realistic assessment of trial risk. A contested trial in Broward County family court is a binary outcome — a judge decides every disputed issue, and neither party controls the result. A Fort Lauderdale divorce attorney with contested Broward County trial experience provides an honest assessment of likely trial outcomes so clients can weigh the cost of continued litigation against the probability of a better financial outcome at trial.
How long does a contested divorce take in Broward County on average?
A contested divorce in Broward County’s 17th Judicial Circuit takes 12 to 24 months, on average, from service of the petition to the final dissolution judgment. Cases proceeding to trial exceed 24 months due to 17th Circuit scheduling backlogs that set trial dates 9 to 14 months from trial-ready certification.
What is the average cost of a contested divorce in Broward County?
A contested Broward County divorce generates $15,000 to $40,000 in total attorney fees as of 2026 for cases resolving before trial, based on hourly billing at Broward County rates. Cases proceeding to trial regularly exceed $50,000, and high-net-worth matters can exceed $75,000.
What is Florida’s mandatory waiting period for divorce?
Florida Statute §61.19 imposes a 20-day waiting period after petition service before a final dissolution judgment can be entered. The 20-day floor has no practical effect on contested case duration — the Broward County timeline is set by discovery, mediation, motion practice, and court scheduling.
What makes a contested divorce take longer in Broward County?
The three primary timeline extenders are disputed custody requiring a social investigation, financial discovery disputes requiring subpoenas or forensic accounting, and the 17th Judicial Circuit’s scheduling backlog. Contested custody disputes typically add 4 to 8 months when a social investigation is ordered.
How much does it cost to go to trial in a Broward County divorce?
Trial preparation and trial attendance in a Broward County contested divorce adds $8,000 to $20,000 or more in attorney fees beyond pre-trial costs. A case settling at mediation avoids those costs entirely and typically resolves in 6 to 12 months faster than a trial-track case.
Can mediation actually reduce my divorce timeline and fees in Broward County?
Mediation is required before any contested hearing in Broward County’s 17th Circuit. A case resolving at mediation avoids $8,000 to $20,000 in trial preparation fees and saves 6 to 12 months of calendar time compared to a case proceeding through a full contested trial.
Does my spouse’s behavior affect my total divorce cost in Broward County?
A spouse who conceals assets, refuses discovery, or demands trial over a reasonable settlement directly increases both parties’ total attorney fees. Discovery disputes requiring subpoenas or forensic accounting add 30 to 90 days per enforcement step, and each emergency motion adds $1,500 to $4,000 in fees.
What is the cheapest way to resolve a contested divorce in Broward County?
Reaching a marital settlement agreement at or before the second mediation session produces the lowest total cost in a contested Broward County divorce. Settlement before trial eliminates $8,000 to $20,000 in trial preparation fees and cuts 6 to 12 months from the total timeline.
You have more control over your Broward divorce timeline than you think — but only if you act before the case drifts into the trial track. Contact Levine Family Law — Scott Levine has guided Broward County clients through contested divorces with a clear-eyed focus on resolution, not prolonged litigation.
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