Child Custody and Time-Sharing in Calhoun County, Florida

Calhoun County residents asking about child custody are really asking about parental responsibility and time-sharing, a two-part framework set out in Fla. Stat. 61.13. Filing happens with the clerk of court at the Calhoun County Courthouse in Blountstown, and the case then moves to a Fourteenth Judicial Circuit family judge.

The Calhoun Clerk Family Law page, hosted at calhounclerk.com, covers the packets used locally. The parent still has to fill out whatever gets filed correctly, since the clerk's office is limited by statute to processing paper, not interpreting it.

Florida won't finalize a time-sharing order without a parenting plan attached to the file. That means the standard Form 12.995(a), the long-distance version 12.995(b), or the safety-focused 12.995(c). Parents of minor children also need proof of the Fla. Stat. 61.21 parenting course before a final judgment is entered.

A new related family case, such as a paternity action or a dissolution that sets time-sharing, runs around $408 in filing costs in the Fourteenth Circuit. E-filing removes the need to drive to Blountstown for every document, since myflcourtaccess.com is a single portal used by all 20 judicial circuits for family case filings, Calhoun County included. The case caption depends on the parents' marital history: divorcing spouses set time-sharing through a chapter 61 dissolution, while never-married parents use chapter 742, a paternity action that establishes legal fatherhood, parental responsibility, and a schedule in one filing.

Where custody cases are heard in Calhoun County, FL

Custody and time-sharing matters in Calhoun County, FL are handled by the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Calhoun County, with the county seat in Blountstown. Because courthouse locations, hours, and local family court programs change over time and can differ between branches, use the Florida court clerk directory to confirm the current details for your case:

Find the Calhoun County, FL Clerk of Court (Florida court clerk directory)

How custody is decided in Florida

Florida uses the same statewide rules in every county, including Calhoun County, FL. Florida law no longer uses the words "custody" and "visitation" in the statute; instead, Florida Statutes chapter 61 uses "parental responsibility" (who makes major decisions for the child) and "time-sharing" (the schedule of when the child is with each parent). Parental responsibility can be shared or, in limited cases, granted solely to one parent. Judges decide time-sharing based on the best interest of the child, considering the factors listed in the statute, and Florida law does not favor a parent based on gender.

You raise parental responsibility and time-sharing inside a dissolution of marriage case, or, if the parents were never married, by first filing to establish paternity. The core steps are:

1. Open or use an existing case: a petition for dissolution of marriage, or a paternity case for unmarried parents.
2. File a proposed Parenting Plan (Florida Supreme Court approved family law form 12.995(a)) covering parental responsibility and a time-sharing schedule.
3. Serve the other parent and file proof of service.
4. Complete a parenting course if your circuit requires one for cases with minor children (Fla. Stat. 61.21).
5. Attend mediation if your circuit requires it before a contested hearing, then attend the hearing if you have not agreed. The court enters a Final Judgment with the Parenting Plan attached.

Florida does not use a fixed statewide waiting period for custody orders the way it does for some other filings; timing depends on your circuit's calendar and whether the case is contested. Parents who agree on a Parenting Plan can submit it for the judge's signature without a contested hearing, which is almost always the faster and less costly path in Calhoun County, FL.

Local notes for Calhoun County, FL

A parent filing in Calhoun County deals with one building for most of the case: the Calhoun County Courthouse at 20859 Central Ave E, Room 130, Blountstown, 32424. The clerk's family division and, usually, the assigned family judge both work out of this address.

Contested parental responsibility and time-sharing matters in the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit go to mediation under Administrative Order 2007-00-03. The circuit's own sliding-scale program charges $60 per person per session when combined household income sits at or under $50,000, or $120 per person per session between $50,001 and $100,000; most cases wrap up in a single three-hour session. Parents earning more than a combined $100,000 a year go to a private certified mediator instead.

Filing fees run around $408 in the Fourteenth Circuit; confirm the current amount with the clerk's office before filing, since fees can change. Parents who cannot afford the fee can apply for civil indigent status under Fla. Stat. 57.082 to have it waived.

Official custody resources in Calhoun County, FL

Calhoun County Courthouse handles custody filings, located at 20859 Central Ave E, Room 130, Blountstown 32424.

The filing fee is $408. E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, statewide system covering all 20 circuits including the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit.

Calhoun Clerk Family Law page (https://calhounclerk.com/court-services/family-law/) can help with procedure and paperwork. Verified live on the clerk's or circuit's current site. Administrative Order 2007-00-03 (Family mediation referral and fee schedule) applies; see https://jud14.flcourts.org/alternative-dispute-resolution-mediation/family-mediation.

• Florida Courts E-Filing Portal
• Florida Statute 61.13, parental responsibility and time-sharing
• Form 12.995(a), Parenting Plan (PDF)
• Form 12.902(d), UCCJEA Affidavit (PDF)
• Florida Guardian ad Litem Program, local circuit finder
• FloridaLawHelp.org

Local details reviewed August 2026. Offices and locations can change, so confirm with the official sites above before you file.

Calhoun County, FL Child Custody FAQs