A recent Miami-Dade ruling secured by EPGD attorney Beatriz Arroyave shows how Florida courts respond when one party refuses to comply with mandatory financial disclosure, and what it costs them.
MIAMI, FL – April 2026.
In Florida divorce proceedings, both spouses are required to exchange detailed financial disclosures. When one spouse refuses, the court has tools to enforce compliance, and to make the non-cooperative party pay for it.
That’s exactly what happened in a recent Miami-Dade Dissolution of Marriage matter handled by EPGD Business Law, P.A. The firm’s Family Law department, led by Managing Attorney Beatriz Arroyave, secured a Court order compelling the opposing spouse to produce all outstanding financial disclosures, set a firm compliance deadline, and obtained a ruling that EPGD’s client is entitled to attorney’s fees.Following a hearing on the firm’s Motion for Order to Show Cause, the Court ordered the opposing party (the husband) to produce all outstanding financial disclosure documents by April 15, 2026, set a Case Management Conference for the same date to verify compliance, and reserved jurisdiction to award attorney’s fees in favor of EPGD’s client.
Following a hearing on the firm’s Motion for Order to Show Cause, the Court ordered the opposing party (the husband) to produce all outstanding financial disclosure documents by April 15, 2026, set a Case Management Conference for the same date to verify compliance, and reserved jurisdiction to award attorney’s fees in favor of EPGD’s client.
Quick Answer: What Happened?
EPGD Managing Attorney Beatriz Arroyave represents the wife in a Miami-Dade Dissolution of Marriage matter. After the husband failed to comply with multiple court orders requiring financial disclosure under Florida’s Family Law Rules of Procedure, EPGD moved for an Order to Show Cause. The Court granted the motion, ordered immediate compliance, scheduled a Case Management Conference to verify compliance, warned of additional sanctions, and found that the wife is entitled to attorney’s fees.
Case Background
The matter, pending in Miami-Dade County, is a Dissolution of Marriage proceeding in which EPGD represents the wife.
Under the Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, both spouses are required to exchange mandatory financial disclosures, including income, assets, liabilities, and supporting documentation, early in a divorce proceeding. These disclosures are foundational to nearly every contested issue in a dissolution case, from equitable distribution and alimony to attorney’s fees and child support.
Despite multiple court orders directing him to do so, the husband repeatedly failed to produce the required financial information. EPGD filed a Motion for Order to Show Cause to compel compliance and seek consequences for the continued violations.
What the Court Ordered
At the hearing on the firm’s motion, the Miami-Dade Circuit Court granted EPGD’s request and entered the following rulings:
- Production Deadline. The husband must deliver any and all outstanding financial disclosure documents to EPGD’s office by April 15, 2026.
- Case Management Conference. A status conference was scheduled for April 15, 2026 to confirm whether the husband had complied.
- Warning of Sanctions. The Court advised the husband on the record that failure to comply by the deadline would prompt the Court to take additional action and consider additional sanctions.
- Attorney’s Fees. The Court found that the wife is entitled to attorney’s fees. The amount of the award was reserved for further determination.
Key Legal Takeaway
Financial disclosure is not optional in Florida divorce proceedings. It is a baseline obligation under the Rules of Procedure. When one spouse refuses to comply, the consequences escalate quickly: a Motion for Order to Show Cause can result in firm deadlines, additional court oversight, sanctions, and fee-shifting in favor of the compliant party.
For clients facing a non-cooperative spouse, the message is clear: the court has tools to enforce transparency, and the cost of noncompliance falls on the party who creates the problem.
About Beatriz Arroyave
Beatriz Arroyave is the Managing Attorney of EPGD Business Law’s Family Law department. She leads the firm’s family law practice and represents clients in dissolution of marriage, custody, support, and related matters across South Florida, with a focus on disciplined, transparent advocacy and strategic case management.
About EPGD Business Law
EPGD Business Law, P.A. is a Coral Gables–based law firm serving business owners, executives, families, and institutions across Florida and internationally. The firm’s practice areas include business and corporate law, litigation, family law, trusts and estates, real estate, mergers and acquisitions, and intellectual property. EPGD’s Family Law department offers full-service representation in dissolution, custody, and related matters, with the strategic depth and procedural discipline the firm is known for across its other practice groups.
For more information, visit epgdlaw.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Motion for Order to Show Cause in a Florida divorce?
A Motion for Order to Show Cause asks the court to require a party to appear and explain why they should not be held in contempt or sanctioned for violating a prior court order. In family law cases, it is a common enforcement tool when one spouse ignores court-ordered obligations like financial disclosure, support, or document production.
What are mandatory financial disclosures in a Florida dissolution case?
Florida Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.285 requires both spouses to exchange detailed financial information early in a divorce, including a sworn financial affidavit, tax returns, pay stubs, bank and investment statements, and other supporting documents. These disclosures form the basis of every financial issue in the case.
What happens if a spouse refuses to provide financial disclosures?
A spouse who ignores their disclosure obligations can be compelled by court order and, if noncompliance continues, sanctioned. Sanctions can include monetary penalties, adverse inferences, striking of pleadings, attorney’s fee awards to the other side, and, in serious cases, contempt of court.
Can the court award attorney’s fees in a Florida divorce?
Yes. Under Florida Statutes § 61.16, a court may order one spouse to pay the other spouse’s attorney’s fees based on the parties’ relative financial circumstances and the conduct of the litigation, including bad-faith or non-compliant behavior.
Is EPGD Business Law accepting new family law clients?
Yes. EPGD’s Family Law department, led by Managing Attorney Beatriz Arroyave, is currently accepting new clients in South Florida. Schedule a consultation at epgdlaw.com or call the firm’s Coral Gables office.
Considering a Florida Divorce or Dealing with a Non-Cooperative Spouse?
Schedule a confidential consultation with EPGD’s Family Law team. Visit epgdlaw.com or call our Coral Gables office to speak with Managing Attorney Beatriz Arroyave.
Media Contact
EPGD Business Law, P.A. Coral Gables, Florida epgdlaw.com
This release describes a procedural ruling in a pending matter. No confidential client information has been disclosed. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
