Each week we look at what is new in Florida family law and what it means for families here in the Panhandle. This week: a new appeals decision on short-term alimony in a divorce after a brief marriage, plus two holiday reminders for parents.
1. Bridge-the-gap alimony needs evidence, not a guess
On October 16, Florida’s Fifth District Court of Appeal decided Ali v. Shoukat. The marriage lasted 249 days and there were no children. The trial court awarded the former wife bridge-the-gap alimony for nine months, roughly the length of the marriage. She had testified only that she would need help for several months, so the trial judge looked to an older appeals decision for guidance on how long the support should last.
The Fifth District reversed that award. Under section 61.08, Florida Statutes, bridge-the-gap alimony helps a spouse with “legitimate identifiable short-term needs” while moving from married to single life. It cannot last more than two years and cannot be modified. The court explained that the spouse asking for it must prove what those short-term needs are and how long they will last. Earlier cases can guide a judge, but they cannot take the place of evidence.
Bay County is in the First District. As for this decision, Bay County judges generally follow it unless the First District has ruled differently. The decision is not yet final. The practical lesson: if you are asking for short-term support, come prepared with specifics, such as moving costs, a lease deposit, or the time needed to finish a course or find work. If you are being asked to pay it, look closely at what has actually been proven.
Read the decision: Ali v. Shoukat, No. 5D2025-1410 (Fla. 5th DCA Oct. 16, 2026)
2. Thanksgiving and winter break: read your parenting plan now
Thanksgiving falls on November 26 this year, and winter break follows soon after. The time to sort out the holidays is now, not the night before an exchange. Florida’s standard parenting plan form lets parents assign each holiday by even years, odd years, or every year, and set a start and end time for each one. Under that form, the holiday schedule takes priority over the regular weekday, weekend, and summer schedules. Many plans also require written notice and an itinerary before a parent travels out of state with the children.
Pull out your plan and check who has Thanksgiving this year, when the holiday starts and ends, how winter break is divided, where exchanges happen, and what notice is required for travel. Your own plan controls, so follow what yours actually says.
3. Swapping a holiday is not the same as changing your plan
Parents often agree to trade a holiday or adjust a weekend, and that flexibility can be good for children. Florida’s standard parenting plan form allows temporary changes to be made informally. A lasting change is different. Under section 61.13, Florida Statutes, a parenting plan or time-sharing schedule may not be modified without a showing of a substantial and material change in circumstances, and the change must serve the child’s best interests. Making a lasting change official means going back to court, whether your plan came from a divorce or a paternity case. A long-term change in time-sharing can also affect child support. If a temporary swap is turning into a new routine, put it in writing and get advice about whether a formal modification makes sense.
Read more: Section 61.13, Florida Statutes
Questions about alimony, time-sharing, or the holidays? If you live in Bay County or elsewhere in the Panhandle, we are glad to talk. Call (850) 871-7397 or schedule a consultation.
The appellate decision discussed above is not yet final. This post is general information about Florida law, not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney client relationship.