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INSTRUCTIONS FOR FLORIDA SUPREME COURT APPROVED FAMILY

LAW FORM 12.903(a)

ANSWER, WAIVER, AND REQUEST FOR COPY OF FINAL JUDGMENT OF

DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE

(02/18)

When should this form be used?

This form should be used when you have been served with a petition for dissolution of marriage

and you do not wish to contest it or appear at a hearing. If you file this form, you are admitting all

of the allegations in the petition, saying that you do not need to be notified of or appear at the final

hearing, and that you would like a copy of the final judgment mailed to you.

This form should be typed or printed in black ink, and your signature should be witnessed by a

notary public or deputy clerk. After completing this form, you should sign the form before a notary

public. You should file the original with the clerk of the circuit court in the county where the

petition was filed and keep a copy for your records. The person filing the petition in a dissolution of

marriage proceeding is also referred to as the petitioner and his or her spouse as the respondent.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING E-FILING

The Florida Rules of Judicial Administration now require that all petitions, pleadings, and documents

be filed electronically except in certain circumstances. Self-represented litigants may file petitions or

other pleadings or documents electronically; however, they are not required to do so. If you choose

to file your pleadings or other documents electronically, you must do so in accordance with Florida

Rule of Judicial Administration 2.525, and you must follow the procedures of the judicial circuit in

which you file. The rules and procedures should be carefully read and followed.

What should I do next?

You have 20 days to answer after being served with your spouse’s petition. A copy of this form,

along with all of the other forms required with this answer and waiver, must be mailed, e-mailed, or

hand delivered to your spouse.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING E-SERVICE ELECTION

After the initial service of process of the petition or supplemental petition by the Sheriff or certified

process server, the Florida Rules of Judicial Administration now require that all documents required

or permitted to be served on the other party must be served by electronic mail (e-mail) except in

Instructions for Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.903(a), Answer, Waiver, and Request for

Copy of Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage (02/18)

certain circumstances. You must strictly comply with the format requirements set forth in the

Rules of Judicial Administration. If you elect to participate in electronic service, which means

receiving pleadings by electronic mail (e-mail), or through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, you must

review Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.516. You may find this rule at www.flcourts.org

through the link to the Rules of Judicial Administration provided under either Family Law Forms:

Getting Started, or Rules of Court in the A-Z Topical Index.

SELF-REPRESENTED LITIGANTS MAY SERVE DOCUMENTS BY E-MAIL; HOWEVER, THEY ARE NOT

REQUIRED TO DO SO. If a self-represented litigant elects to serve and receive documents by e-mail,

the procedures must always be followed once the initial election is made.

To serve and receive documents by e-mail, you must designate your e-mail addresses by using the

Designation of Current Mailing and E-mail Address, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law

Form 12.915, and you must provide your e-mail address on each form on which your signature

appears. Please CAREFULLY read the rules and instructions for: Certificate of Service (General),

Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.914; Designation of Current Mailing and E-mail

Address, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.915; and Florida Rule of Judicial

Administration 2.516.

Where can I look for more information?

Before proceeding, you should read General Information for Self-Represented Litigants found at

the beginning of these forms. The words that are in bold underline in these instructions are

defined there. For further information, see chapter 61, Florida Statutes.

Special notes...

With this form, you may also file the following:

 Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA) Affidavit, Florida

Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.902(d), if the case involves a dependent or

minor child(ren).

 Child Support Guidelines Worksheet

, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure Form

12.902(e), if the case involves a dependent or minor child(ren). (If you do not know your

spouse’s income, you may file this worksheet after your spouse’s financial affidavit has

been served on you).

 Marital Settlement Agreement for Dissolution of Marriage with Dependent or Minor

Child(ren), Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.902(f)(1), or Marital

Settlement Agreement for Dissolution of Marriage with No Dependent or Minor

Child(ren), Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.902(f)(2), if you have

reached an agreement on any or all of the issues.

 Notice of Social Security Number, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form

Instructions for Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.903(a), Answer, Waiver, and Request for

Copy of Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage (02/18)

12.902(j).

 Family Law Financial Affidavit, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure Form 12.902(b) or (c).

(This must be filed within 45 days of service of the petition on you, if not filed at the time

you file this answer.)

 Certificate of Compliance with Mandatory Disclosure, Florida Family Law Rules of

Procedure Form 12.932. (This must be filed within 45 days of service of the petition on you,

if not filed at the time you file this answer, unless you and the other party have agreed not

to exchange these documents.)

Parenting Plan and Time-Sharing. By filing this answer and waiver, you are agreeing to any

parenting plan and time-sharing requests in the petition. The judge may request a parenting plan

recommendation or appoint a guardian ad litem in your case. This means that a neutral person will

review your situation and report to the judge concerning parenting issues. The purpose of such

intervention is to be sure that the best interests of the child(ren) is (are) being served. For more

information, you may consult section 61.13, Florida Statutes.

A parenting course must be completed prior to entry of a final judgment. You should contact the

clerk, family law intake staff, or judicial assistant about requirements for parenting courses where

you live.

Listed below are some terms with which you should become familiar before completing your answer

to the petition. If you do not fully understand any of the terms below or their implications, you

should speak with an attorney before going any further.

 Shared Parental Responsibility

 Sole Parental Responsibility

 Supervised Time-Sharing

 No contact

 Parenting Plan

 Parenting Plan Recommendation

 Time-Sharing Schedule

Child Support. By filing this answer and waiver, you are agreeing to any requests for child support

in the petition. Both parents are required to provide financial support for their minor or

dependent child(ren); however, the court may order one parent to pay child support to the other

parent. Florida has adopted guidelines for determining the amount of child support to be paid.

These guidelines are based on the combined income of both parents and take into account the

financial contributions of both parents and the number of overnights the child(ren) spend with each

parent. You must file a Family Law Financial Affidavit, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure Form

12.902(b) or (c), and your spouse will be required to do the same. From your financial affidavits, you

should be able to calculate the amount of child support that should be paid using the Child Support

Guidelines Worksheet, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure Form 12.902(e). Because the child

support guidelines take several factors into consideration, change over time, and vary from state to

Instructions for Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.903(a), Answer, Waiver, and Request for

Copy of Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage (02/18)

state, your child support obligation may be more or less than that of other people in seemingly

similar situations.

Alimony. By filing this answer and waiver, you are agreeing to any requests for alimony in the

petition. Alimony may be awarded to a spouse if the judge finds that one spouse has an actual need

for it and also finds that the other spouse has the ability to pay. If you want alimony, you must

request it in writing in a counterpetition and should not use this form. If you do not request

alimony in writing before the final hearing, it is waived (you may not request it later). You may

request permanent alimony, bridge-the-gap alimony, durational alimony, , and/or rehabilitative

alimony. If alimony is awarded, the judge may order periodic payments, payments in lump sum, or

both.

Marital/Nonmarital Assets and Liabilities. Florida law requires an equitable distribution of marital

assets and marital liabilities. “Equitable” does not necessarily mean “equal.” Many factors,

including child support, time-sharing and alimony awards, may lead the court to make an unequal

(but still equitable) distribution of assets and liabilities. Nonmarital assets and nonmarital liabilities

are those assets and liabilities which the parties agree or the court determines belong to, or are the

responsibility of, only one of the parties. By filing this answer and waiver, you are agreeing to any

requests in the petition regarding division of assets and liabilities.

Final Judgment. You should receive a copy of the Final Judgment in the mail. If, for some reason

you do not, you should contact the clerk’s office to request a copy. It is important for you to review

a copy of the Final Judgment in your case to see what happened and to know what you must do and

what you are entitled to receive.

Nonlawyer. Remember, a person who is NOT an attorney is called a nonlawyer. If a nonlawyer

helps you fill out these forms, that person must give you a copy of a Disclosure from Nonlawyer,

Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure Form 12.900(a), before he or she helps you. A nonlawyer

helping you fill out these forms also must put his or her name, address, and telephone number on

the bottom of the last page of every form he or she helps you complete.

Instructions for Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.903(a), Answer, Waiver, and Request for

Copy of Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage (02/18)

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE _____________________ JUDICIAL CIRCUIT,

IN AND FOR ______________________________ COUNTY, FLORIDA

Case No: ________________________

Division: ________________________

In re: the Marriage of:

_________________________________,

Petitioner,

and

_________________________________,

Respondent

ANSWER, WAIVER, AND REQUEST FOR COPY OF FINAL JUDGMENT OF

DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE

I, {full legal name} , being sworn, certify that the following

information is true:

1. I answer the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage filed in this action and admit all the allegations.

By admitting all of the allegations in the petition, I agree to all relief requested in the petition

including any requests regarding parenting and time-sharing, child support, alimony, distribution

of marital assets and liabilities, and temporary relief.

2. I hereby waive notice of hearing as well as all future notices in connection with the Petition for

Dissolution of Marriage, as filed and also waive my appearance at the final hearing.

3. I request that a copy of the Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage entered in this case be

provided to me at the address below.

4. If this case involves minor child(ren), a completed Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and

Enforcement Act (UCCJEA) Affidavit, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.902(d),

is filed with this answer.

5. A completed Notice of Social Security Number, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form

12.902(j), is filed with this answer.

6. A completed Family Law Financial Affidavit, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure Form 12.902(b)

or (c), _____ is filed with this answer or _____ will be timely filed.

Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.903(a), Answer, Waiver, and Request for Copy of Final

Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage (02/18)

___________________________________________

_______________________________________

I certify that a copy of this document was _____ mailed _____ faxed and mailed _____ e-mailed

_____hand delivered to the person(s) listed below on {date} __________________________.

Other party or his/her attorney:

Name: _______________________________________

Address: _____________________________________

City, State, Zip: ________________________________

Fax Number: _________________________________

Designated E-mail Address(es):___________________

I understand that I am swearing or affirming under oath to the truthfulness of the claims made in this

answer and that the punishment for knowingly making a false statement includes fines and/or

imprisonment.

Dated: ______________________ _______________________________________

Signature of Respondent

Printed Name: ___________________________

Address: _______________________________

City, State, Zip: __________________________

Telephone Number: ________________________

Fax Number: _____________________________

Designated E-mail Address(es): _______________

_______________________________________

STATE OF FLORIDA

COUNTY OF ____________________

Sworn to or affirmed and signed before me on __________ by ___________________________.

NOTARY PUBLIC or DEPUTY CLERK

[Print, type, or stamp commissioned name of notary or

deputy clerk.]

_____ Personally known

_____ Produced identification

_____ Type of identification produced ________________________________

IF A NONLAWYER HELPED YOU FILL OUT THIS FORM, HE/SHE MUST FILL IN THE BLANKS BELOW:

[fill in all blanks] This form was prepared for the ______Respondent

This form was completed with the assistance of:

{name of individual} _______________________________________________________________,

{name of business} ________________________________________________________________,

{address} ________________________________________________________________________,

{city} ______________, {state} ____, {zip code, }__________, {telephone number} _____________.

Answer, Waiver, and Request for Copy of Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage, Florida Supreme Court

Approved Form 12.903(a)(02/18)

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