Florence Divorce Lawyer & Divorce Attorney

Charlotte Christian, Founding Attorney of Summit Family Law

Your Florence Legal Team

Led by Founding Attorney Charlotte Christian

Summit Family Law’s Florence office is backed by a team of Alabama family law attorneys handling divorce, child custody, and family law matters across Lauderdale County and the Shoals.

Decades of experience in Alabama family law
AV Preeminent® Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
AVVO 10 Rated
LLM in Trial Advocacy (advanced degree in trial practice)
Graduate of the Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College (Wyoming)
Alabama Bar

Meet our team

Summit Family Law represents clients across Florence, Muscle Shoals, Tuscumbia, Sheffield, and the surrounding Shoals communities. Our Florence office at 112 South Pine Street, Suite 102 is centrally located in downtown Florence, just minutes from the Lauderdale County Courthouse and convenient to clients throughout Lauderdale and Colbert counties.

As a trusted Florence divorce lawyer serving Lauderdale County, the Summit Family Law team handles every type of family law matter. Whether you're facing a divorce, child custody, or child support matter, our team brings the same focused, results-oriented approach we've built our reputation on across Alabama.

Our Alabama Family Law Practice Areas

Our team handles the full range of Alabama family law matters:

Wondering what child support could look like in your case? Try our Alabama child support calculator for a quick, Rule 32-based estimate.

We offer help with all forms of family restructuring, including divorce, legal separation, and annulment. For parents, we prioritize the stability of the child and all aspects of custody. We handle paternity matters, secure guardianship, and manage adoption cases. In sensitive situations, we are ready to help secure a restraining order in cases of domestic violence. We can help you review documents, draft or review a prenuptial agreement, or petition for a divorce modification. We can have parties subpoenaed and can depose witnesses if necessary. We aim for an amicable settlement and advise you on how to achieve the best possible outcome without extensive cross-examination, whenever possible. We are reliable advocates for your future.

Family Restructuring

Divorce, separation, annulment, and adoption management.

Protection And Safety

Restraining orders and domestic violence advocacy.

Documentation

Prenuptial agreements, document review, and modifications.

The Shoals area has its own rhythm. Florence, Muscle Shoals, Tuscumbia, and Sheffield together make up one of Alabama's most distinctive metro communities, built around the University of North Alabama, TVA, the healthcare sector, the music industry's deep roots, and tight family ties. Family law cases here often touch all of it.

Local court familiarity. We practice regularly in the Lauderdale County Circuit Court (Domestic Relations Division), and surrounding Shoals-area family courts.
Statewide reach. Our Florence office is backed by the resources of a four-office Alabama firm (Huntsville, Birmingham, Florence, and Trussville), so complex cases get the full bench.
Results-focused approach. Strategic, prepared, and direct. Our clients know where they stand and what to expect at every stage.

Divorce Modifications

Sometimes, you need to alter a previous court order. As your children grow, their needs change. For example, you or their other parent might change jobs or need to move away. Their extra-curricular activities might require a change in the visitation schedule. Alternatively, your spousal support or child support payment could need an adjustment.

Alabama family law judges understand this, and the court system offers a way to petition for a modification of your current orders. The other party may agree (uncontested), or contest the petition. All divorce modifications require a judge’s approval.

Military Divorce in North Alabama

Military Divorce In The Shoals, Courts must consider unique factors when one or both spouses are members of the U.S. military. The Shoals area is home to many active-duty service members, veterans, and their families with ties to nearby military installations. Spouses in a military divorce can benefit from a lawyer familiar with the unique federal regulations, deployment-related concerns, and military pension division issues that affect these cases. Spouses in a military divorce can benefit from a lawyer familiar with these cases.

Alimony

Alabama law allows spousal support, often called alimony, under Alabama Code § 30-2-56 and § 30-2-57. This is generally temporary. We can ask for alimony for our clients for a specific reason and for a limited time. This includes finishing education or training for a career, finding a job, renting a new home, or taking other steps now necessary because of the divorce.

In some long-term marriages, we could seek extended alimony.

Divorce for Professionals

When one party holds a professional degree, they may want to protect the earning power that comes with it. Alternatively, what if their spouse sacrificed their own goals while they went to school, or the spouse paid for their education?

When professionals get divorced, the court must consider many financial factors not heard in other cases. We ensure the court hears our client’s voices in their divorce proceedings.

Uncontested Divorces in Alabama

Our Florence family law attorneys help spouses navigate an uncontested divorce. We ensure we complete all paperwork correctly and meet the applicable deadlines. Doing so improperly can otherwise delay the process.

The Florence divorce process begins when one party files a complaint in family court.

Alabama law allows individuals to file based on fault or one of two no-fault grounds:

> Incompatibility of temperament
> Irretrievable breakdown

Once filed, the other party receives the filing notification and has a limited time to respond. Sometimes, the parties already know how they want to split assets, share custody with their children, and address other issues. Alternatively, they can work together to decide on these factors. Mediation or negotiations through their attorneys may be necessary.

If the parties cannot agree, they may contest the divorce and take the case to court. This process takes time. The judge often enters one or more temporary court orders during this period, addressing child custody, support, and visitation.

Once the trial date arrives, the judge in the family law court hears the factors in dispute and decides for the couple. The court only issues a divorce decree, parenting plan, and other court orders once they resolve all disputes.

Equitable Distribution of Property

Under Alabama Code § 30-2-51 and § 30-2-52, Alabama law distributes assets and debts fairly between spouses. However, a fair distribution does not mean equal. The court considers many factors such as each party’s job, earnings, contributions to the household, and more.

This is one of the most contested issues in a divorce, especially if there are significant assets or debts, special collections, or real estate in addition to the family home.

Child Custody in Alabama

Under Alabama Code § 30-3-150, Alabama law almost always prefers joint custody, if possible and within the child’s best interests. The official policy is to support stable and positive relationships with both parents. When judges decide matters related to custody and visitation, they encourage the parents to work together, share responsibilities, and communicate regarding their children’s best interests.

Still, parents cannot always share equally in their kids’ decision-making and physical custody. To this end, the judge must weigh many factors to determine the child’s best interests. Child support depends significantly on visitation and custody.

Visit Us

Directions to Our Florence Office

Summit Family Law, Florence Office
112 South Pine Street, Suite 102
Florence, AL 35630
(256) 367-2994

One block from the courthouse

Our Florence office is in downtown Florence on South Pine Street, one block west of the Lauderdale County Courthouse at 200 South Court Street. For most Lauderdale County hearings, you can park once and walk to both. We are a few minutes north of Wilson Park and the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library, and under a mile from the University of North Alabama campus.

Driving in

From Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia: head north on US-43/US-72 and cross the Tennessee River on the O'Neal Bridge. Continue north on Court Street into downtown Florence; Pine Street is one block west. The office is about a mile from the north end of the bridge.
From Huntsville, Athens, and Limestone County: take US-72 west across Lauderdale County into Florence.
From Killen, Rogersville, and eastern Lauderdale County: take US-72 west, or Florence Boulevard straight into downtown.
From the UNA campus: head south on Pine Street about three quarters of a mile. It is a walkable distance in good weather.
From Wilson Dam and Colbert County: cross the river on Wilson Dam Road, then north on Court Street into downtown.

Parking: downtown Florence has street parking on Pine Street and Court Street, plus public lots serving the courthouse block. If you are coming straight from a hearing, you likely will not need to move your car.

Get Driving Directions

From our Florence office, we serve clients throughout:

Florence
Muscle Shoals
Tuscumbia
Sheffield
Killen
Rogersville
Lexington
Cherokee
Lauderdale County
Colbert County

Florence Divorce Lawyer

Divorce And
Custody Lawyer in Florence, Alabama

Led by Founding Attorney Charlotte Christian

Our Alabama Family Law Practice Areas