We evaluate residency status, the asset profile across all jurisdictions, and the countries involved to determine the strongest jurisdiction for the case and identify any immediate protective steps needed before the other side makes a move.
These are not hypothetical risks. In international divorce, they are the decisions that determine everything, and the window to act strategically does not stay open. When jurisdiction is unclear and assets are spread across borders, the moves made in the first 30 days can define the outcome of everything that follows.
Not sure whether Florida law even applies to your situation?
We file the petition for dissolution in the appropriate Florida court and coordinate international service of process on the other spouse, which may require compliance with the Hague Convention on Service Abroad depending on the foreign country involved.
If the other spouse contests Florida’s jurisdiction or files in a foreign court simultaneously, we respond with the legal arguments necessary to establish or defend Florida’s authority over the case before that dispute is decided against our client by default.
We identify and document all marital assets across jurisdictions, including foreign real estate, offshore accounts, foreign business interests, and assets held in trust or through foreign entities, working with forensic accountants and international asset specialists where the case demands it.
Once the Florida court issues its final judgment, we take the necessary steps to enforce it, including proceedings to recognize and enforce the judgment in foreign jurisdictions if the assets or the other spouse are located outside the United States.
Mayersohn Law Group handles the full spectrum of international divorce matters across Fort Lauderdale and South Florida, including:
The jurisdictional complexity, asset tracing requirements, cross-border enforcement procedures, and strategic timing decisions require counsel who understands that the first moves in these cases often determine the outcome, and that for clients at this level, discretion and results carry equal weight.
Ready to discuss your case? Call (954) 765-1900 or send us a message. We handle international divorce cases across Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Palm Beach, Miami, and Jacksonville.
Yes. Florida courts can hear your divorce case if you have been a Florida resident for at least six months before filing under Florida Statute 61.021. Your spouse does not need to live in Florida. However, serving your spouse internationally and enforcing any resulting judgment abroad may require additional legal steps, including compliance with international service conventions such as the Hague Convention on Service Abroad, depending on the country involved.
Florida courts have jurisdiction over marital assets regardless of where they are located, including foreign accounts and overseas real estate. However, actually reaching those assets may require separate enforcement or recognition proceedings in the country where they are held. Discovery tools available in Florida proceedings, including subpoenas, depositions, and forensic accounting analysis, can be used to identify and document offshore holdings before division. When domestic discovery reaches its limits, coordinating with foreign legal counsel becomes part of the strategy.
Florida may recognize a foreign divorce decree under the doctrine of comity, provided the foreign proceeding afforded both parties due process and the decree does not violate Florida public policy, as governed in part by Florida Statute 61.0401. Recognition is not automatic, it typically requires a legal proceeding in a Florida court. Whether your specific foreign decree is likely to be recognized depends on how the foreign proceeding was conducted and what terms it imposed.
This situation requires immediate legal action. Florida courts can issue emergency custody orders and injunctions prohibiting international travel without consent. Attempting to remove a child from the United States in violation of a custody order may constitute a federal crime under the International Parental Kidnapping Crime Act. If you believe this is a risk in your case, contact our office immediately, delay in these situations can make protective relief significantly harder to obtain.
International divorce cases typically take longer than domestic proceedings due to jurisdictional disputes, international service of process requirements, and cross-border asset discovery. A cooperative, uncontested case may resolve in several months. A contested case with disputed jurisdiction and complex offshore assets may take considerably longer. Early strategic action, including filing in the right jurisdiction before the other side does, is the most effective way to manage both the timeline and the outcome.
In many international divorce cases, coordinating with legal counsel in the foreign jurisdiction is advisable, particularly for enforcement of judgments, recognition of Florida orders abroad, or custody matters governed by foreign law. Mayersohn Law Group maintains relationships with attorneys in relevant jurisdictions and can coordinate that process on behalf of clients where cross-border legal representation is needed.
Significant. The jurisdiction where a divorce is first filed often determines which country’s laws govern property division, alimony, and custody. If your spouse files first in a foreign jurisdiction with less favorable equitable distribution laws, you may face an uphill battle establishing Florida’s authority over the case. This is one of the primary reasons early legal consultation is critical in international divorce, the first strategic decision is often the most consequential one.
Comity is the legal principle under which courts in one jurisdiction voluntarily honor the judgments of courts in another. In international divorce, the comity determines whether a divorce decree obtained in a foreign country will be recognized by Florida courts, and whether a Florida judgment will be honored abroad. Florida courts are not required to extend comity to foreign judgments, particularly when due process was not observed or the outcome violates Florida public policy. Whether comity applies in your case requires a careful analysis of both the foreign proceeding and Florida’s recognition standards under Statute 61.0401.
