LGBTQ families on Florida’s Treasure Coast face the same dissolution statutes as any other couple under Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015) — plus unique questions around pre-2015 assets, parental rights, and domestic partnership agreements. 

Ann M. Goade, Esq. is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator serving LGBTQ families across Martin, Palm Beach, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties — resolving same-sex divorce, parental rights disputes, and domestic partnership separations through a confidential certified process that keeps sensitive family matters out of the public court record.

Schedule mediation with Ann Goade — call (772) 288-7275 or email info@anngoade.com.

Key Takeaways

• Ann Goade has practiced exclusively in family law mediation since 1993, serving LGBTQ families across the Treasure Coast as a certified neutral with no active litigation practice and no financial stake in the outcome of any session.
• The U.S. Supreme Court held in Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015) that same-sex couples hold the same constitutional right to marry as opposite-sex couples — and Florida family courts apply the same dissolution statutes to both.
• LGBTQ couples who accumulated assets before Florida recognized same-sex marriage in January 2015 face equitable distribution questions that Florida Statute § 61.075 does not resolve automatically — mediation gives both parties control over how pre-recognition property is treated.
• Florida does not have a statewide domestic partnership statute as of 2026, but Florida courts enforce written domestic partnership agreements as binding contracts under Florida contract law per Posik v. Layton, 695 So. 2d 759 (Fla. 5th DCA 1997) and Taylor v. Davis, 324 So. 3d 570 (Fla. 1st DCA 2021).
• Virtual mediation is available statewide for Treasure Coast LGBTQ families who prefer remote sessions.

What Does LGBTQ Family Mediation Cover on Florida’s Treasure Coast?

LGBTQ family mediation on Florida’s Treasure Coast covers every issue a Florida family court would address in a contested dissolution — plus the additional legal questions unique to same-sex couples — so Treasure Coast families resolve all disputes in a single confidential mediation process rather than separate contested proceedings.

Ann Goade addresses the following issues in every LGBTQ family mediation session:

Florida Statute § 61.052 governs dissolution of marriage terms for all Florida couples, regardless of sexual orientation. Florida Statute § 61.13 governs parenting plans and timesharing. Florida Statute § 61.29 governs child support calculations. 

Florida Statute § 61.075 governs the equitable distribution of marital assets and debts—including the classification of property accumulated before Florida’s January 2015 recognition of same-sex marriage —which raises non-marital asset questions that the statute does not automatically resolve.

Does Florida Treat Same-Sex Divorce the Same as Opposite-Sex Divorce?

Florida treats same-sex divorce identically to opposite-sex divorce under the same dissolution statutes — because the U.S. Supreme Court held in Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015), that same-sex couples hold the constitutional right to marry on the same terms as opposite-sex couples. 

Florida family courts apply Florida’s equitable distribution, alimony, child support, and timesharing statutes uniformly to all married couples regardless of sexual orientation.

LGBTQ couples in Port St. Lucie, Stuart, West Palm Beach, and Vero Beach face one additional layer of complexity that opposite-sex couples typically do not: property and financial assets accumulated during long-term relationships before Florida recognized same-sex marriage on January 6, 2015. 

Florida Statute § 61.075 defines marital assets as those acquired during the marriage, so assets a same-sex couple built together before January 2015 may not qualify as marital property under a strict statutory reading, leaving courts to apply equitable principles without a clear statutory answer.

Mediation gives LGBTQ couples control over how pre-recognition assets are treated — so both parties negotiate a written Mediated Settlement Agreement that reflects the full history of their relationship rather than leaving the classification to a judge applying a statute written before their marriage was legally possible. 

Ann Goade’s 30-year exclusive mediation practice means that every Treasure Coast LGBTQ family works with a certified neutral who facilitates negotiations without representing either party’s interests in the outcome.

How Are Parental Rights Handled in Florida LGBTQ Family Mediation?

Florida family mediation resolves parental rights for LGBTQ families under Florida Statute § 61.13, which governs parenting plans for all Florida couples regardless of sexual orientation — so both biological and non-biological parents reach a court-enforceable parenting agreement through a single certified session. 

Ann Goade addresses parental rights directly in family law mediation sessions for every Treasure Coast LGBTQ family, regardless of whether both parents share a biological connection to the child.

LGBTQ families frequently involve one biological parent, one non-biological parent, or children born through assisted reproductive technology before both parents had equal legal standing — because Florida law recognizes parental rights based on legal parentage, not biological connection alone. 

Florida Statute § 742.18 governs the establishment of parental rights for individuals who are not the biological parent of a child, so non-biological parents in same-sex relationships need a legal parentage order, a completed adoption, or a court-approved parenting agreement to establish enforceable rights.

Florida’s best-interest-of-the-child standard under Florida Statute § 61.13(3) governs all timesharing and custody decisions — and Florida case law confirms that a parent’s sexual orientation is not a permissible factor in a best-interest determination. Ann Goade applies that standard as a certified neutral in every timesharing mediation session, so that LGBTQ parents on the Treasure Coast reach parenting agreements grounded in the child’s needs rather than in contested litigation outcomes that a judge controls.

LGBTQ families with children benefit from the confidentiality protections of Florida Statute § 44.405 — so parenting plan negotiations in a certified mediation session do not become part of the public court record that contested custody proceedings produce.

How Does Domestic Partnership Separation Work in Florida?

Florida domestic partnership couples who separate resolve property, support, and asset disputes through certified mediation when written agreements are contested, so both partners reach a binding resolution without Florida circuit court litigation. 

Florida does not have a statewide domestic partnership statute as of 2026, so unmarried couples who separate depend on written domestic partnership agreements, which Florida courts enforce as binding contracts under Florida contract law.

Florida courts enforce written domestic partnership agreements as binding contracts — a principle the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeals confirmed in Posik v. Layton, 695 So. 2d 759 (Fla. 5th DCA 1997), which held that a support agreement between an unmarried same-sex couple was enforceable as a contract. 

Florida courts evaluate domestic partnership agreements under standard contract requirements: offer, acceptance, a meeting of the minds on essential terms, and the exchange of legal consideration, per Taylor v. Davis, 324 So. 3d 570 (Fla. 1st DCA 2021).

Ann Goade facilitates mediation for domestic partners across Martin, Palm Beach, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties — so Treasure Coast couples can resolve property title disputes, asset and liability division, and support questions through a certified, confidential process rather than litigation, which produces a public court record.

Domestic Partnership Issue	How Florida Courts Address It
Property title disputes	Contract law — deed and written agreement govern
Asset and liability division	Written domestic partnership agreement terms
Partner support at separation	Enforceable if in a written agreement — Posik v. Layton (1997)
Inheritance rights	No automatic inheritance — requires estate planning documents
Healthcare decision authority	Requires durable power of attorney — not automatic

Why LGBTQ Families on the Treasure Coast Choose Mediation Over Litigation

LGBTQ families who resolve separation and parenting disputes through Florida Supreme Court Certified mediation keep sensitive family matters out of the public court record that contested 19th Judicial Circuit and 15th Judicial Circuit proceedings produce. 

Contested litigation in Martin, St. Lucie, Palm Beach, or Indian River county circuit courts generates a public filing record — so the details of a same-sex couple’s pre-recognition asset history, parental rights disputes, or domestic partnership terms become part of that record.

Ann Goade does not represent either party in contested litigation in any jurisdiction — so LGBTQ families negotiate in front of a practitioner with no financial stake in the outcome, no prior relationship with either party, and no divided professional loyalty between mediation and litigation clients. 

Florida Statute § 44.405 protects every communication made in Ann Goade’s mediation sessions from disclosure in subsequent proceedings — so families on the Treasure Coast discuss sensitive matters with full statutory confidentiality protection.

Treasure Coast LGBTQ families who need a pro se mediation option — resolving dissolution or domestic partnership disputes without attorneys — have access to the same Florida Supreme Court Certified neutral process as attorney-represented clients in every session Ann Goade conducts.

LGBTQ families carrying the weight of a contested separation deserve a private resolution — not a courtroom. Start mediation with Ann Goade today — call (772) 288-7275 or email info@anngoade.com.

How Does Ann Goade Conduct LGBTQ Family Mediation Sessions?

Ann Goade conducts every LGBTQ family mediation session using the same structured certified process applied to all Treasure Coast family cases — so LGBTQ families know exactly what to expect before the first session begins and resolve all issues in a single certified process rather than returning for multiple proceedings.

Scheduling: LGBTQ families contact Ann Goade directly by calling (772) 288-7275, emailing info@anngoade.com, or completing the online scheduling form. No court referral order is required — families schedule voluntarily before any court filing.

Financial Disclosure: Florida Family Law Rule 12.285 requires both parties to exchange mandatory financial disclosure documents before or during mediation. Ann Goade confirms mandatory disclosure requirements with all parties before the session — so no agreement is reached without both sides reviewing complete financial information, including pre-recognition assets relevant to equitable distribution questions.

Session Format: Ann Goade conducts sessions in person at 3576 SW Sawgrass Villas Dr, Palm City, FL 34990, or through virtual mediation for families who prefer remote sessions. Every session addresses all contested issues — parenting, support, property division, and alimony — so families resolve all matters in a single certified process rather than returning for multiple proceedings.

Mediated Settlement Agreement: Ann Goade prepares a written Mediated Settlement Agreement that covers all resolved issues when both parties reach an agreement. The agreement is submitted to the appropriate Florida circuit court — 19th Judicial Circuit for St. Lucie, Indian River, and Martin county families, 15th Judicial Circuit for Palm Beach County families — where the assigned judge reviews and approves it.

Court Approval: The assigned Florida circuit court judge signs the Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage, incorporating the Mediated Settlement Agreement, so families reach a court-enforceable resolution without the contested-hearing timeline that circuit court litigation entails.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Florida treat same-sex divorce the same as opposite-sex divorce?

Florida applies the same dissolution statutes to same-sex and opposite-sex couples following Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015). Florida Statute § 61.052 governs dissolution terms, § 61.075 governs equitable distribution, and § 61.13 governs parenting plans for all married couples regardless of sexual orientation in every Florida circuit court.

What makes LGBTQ divorce mediation different from standard divorce mediation in Florida?

LGBTQ divorce mediation addresses property accumulated before Florida recognized same-sex marriage in January 2015. Florida Statute § 61.075 defines marital assets by marriage date — so pre-recognition assets may not qualify as marital property, and mediation gives both parties control over that classification rather than leaving it to a judge.

Does Ann Goade serve LGBTQ families across all Treasure Coast counties?

Ann Goade serves LGBTQ families in Martin, Palm Beach, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties through in-person sessions at her Palm City office and virtual mediation statewide. All four counties fall within Florida’s 15th and 19th Judicial Circuits, where the same certified mediation process applies.

Are domestic partnership agreements enforceable in Florida?

Florida courts enforce written domestic partnership agreements as binding contracts under Florida contract law. The Florida Fifth District Court of Appeal confirmed enforceability in Posik v. Layton, 695 So. 2d 759 (Fla. 5th DCA 1997), and Florida applies standard contract requirements to evaluate such agreements per Taylor v. Davis, 324 So. 3d 570 (Fla. 1st DCA 2021).

How does mediation protect LGBTQ families’ privacy during separation?

Florida Statute § 44.405 prohibits disclosure of mediation communications in any subsequent proceeding, so statements made in Ann Goade’s sessions remain confidential. Contested circuit court litigation generates a public filing record, while certified mediation produces a private Mediated Settlement Agreement submitted for judicial approval without a public hearing.

Can same-sex couples use mediation to resolve parental rights disputes in Florida?

Same-sex couples resolve parental rights disputes through certified mediation under Florida Statute § 61.13, which governs parenting plans for all Florida families. Ann Goade addresses non-biological parental rights in every session — so both parents reach a court-enforceable parenting plan without contested litigation that applies Florida’s best-interest standard through a public proceeding.

Does Florida recognize domestic partnerships statewide?

Florida does not have a statewide domestic partnership statute as of 2026. Several Florida counties, including Miami-Dade and Palm Beach, maintain domestic partnership registries. Treasure Coast couples protect their rights through written domestic partnership agreements, which Florida courts enforce as binding contracts under established Florida contract law.

Can LGBTQ families use mediation without attorneys in Florida?

LGBTQ families access Florida Supreme Court Certified family mediation without attorneys through Ann Goade’s pro se mediation service — so unrepresented Treasure Coast families receive the same certified neutral process as attorney-represented clients in Florida’s 19th and 15th Judicial Circuits.

Thirty years of exclusive family mediation means Ann Goade has resolved LGBTQ family disputes far more complex than most families face. Book your session today — call (772) 288-7275 or visit anngoade.com.