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"Read their lips: new taxes!
We've been telling prospective clients that they need to get their cases filed quickly due to the filing fee increases. Divorces already had the highest filing fees of any type of case except adoptions, but as of July 1, they went up even more. It now costs $418 to file for divorce, including the fee for issuing a summons, even if it's an uncontested divorce.
What's worse, you now have to pay to file a counter-petition. That's when you sue someone back for divorce who is suing you for divorce. It's almost a requirement to file a counter-petition because, if you don't file a counter-petition in a contested divorce, you run the risk that the filer will dismiss the petition, knocking the whole divorce out of court. The counter-petition means it takes two to dismiss the divorce, not just one. So the new total cost for a contested divorce (one with a petition and a counter-petition): $713!
You probably don't want me to tell you how mediation costs went up, how process server costs went up, how subpoena costs went up, etc.
You should know that the court system is completely broke. Critically broke. So broke that Florida supreme court justices are quitting because they can't pay their bills. People are getting laid off all over the place in the court system.
So a Tampa legislator had a "great" idea: let the people who use the court system pay for the court system! Sounded good. His bill sailed through the legislature and across the governor's desk with almost no opposition and--boom!--court fees skyrocketed.
My only question is this: if the people who use the courts are the ones paying for the courts, what are we paying taxes for?
Well, I guess I do have one other question: who is going to be able to afford these courts?
Okay, yeah, and one more question: weren't these courts supposed to belong to the people?
Just a happy aside here to let you know that Orsini & Rose hasn't raised it's fees. :-)"
Thanks,
Brent
Brent A. Rose
Attorney at Law
The Orsini & Rose Law Firm
Offices throughout Florida
Tampa (813)635-0222 (main)
Orlando (407)487-1919
St. Pete (727)821-2363
Ft. Lauderdale (954)768-1999
Elsewhere (866)200-8855
www.attorneysusa.com
