Child Custody and Time-Sharing in Dixie County, Florida

Florida law breaks custody into two parts for Dixie County families: parental responsibility, which covers decision-making authority, and time-sharing, the actual schedule. The clerk of court at the Dixie County Courthouse in Cross City accepts filings, and the Third Judicial Circuit assigns the case to a family judge.

The clerk's site has no working self-help or family-law packet page, so call the family division directly. A clerk can stamp, file, and schedule a case, but can't tell a parent what to ask for. That gap sends most self-represented parents in Dixie County to the state's Family Law Self-Help Information page for guidance on the substance behind the paperwork.

A judge won't sign a final order on parental responsibility and time-sharing until two requirements are met: a parenting plan, Form 12.995(a) in most cases, and, if the children are minors, completion of the state's required parenting course under Fla. Stat. 61.21. That course is generally due within 45 days of filing or being served.

The clerk's site does not publish a filing fee for Dixie County, so call ahead to confirm the cost before filing. That fee, once confirmed, covers opening a case, not every custody-related motion filed later. Dixie County uses the same statewide e-filing login as every other Florida county, so documents can go in any time of day through myflcourtaccess.com. The route depends on marital status: married parents handle time-sharing as part of their chapter 61 divorce, while parents who were never married open a chapter 742 paternity action. That paternity case is where parental responsibility, time-sharing, and support all get decided for the first time.

Where custody cases are heard in Dixie County, FL

Custody and time-sharing matters in Dixie County, FL are handled by the Third Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Dixie County, with the county seat in Cross City. 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 Dixie 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 Dixie 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 Dixie County, FL.

Local notes for Dixie County, FL

The address that matters most in a Dixie County custody case is the Dixie County Courthouse, 214 NE Highway 351, Cross City. Filing, docketing, and most hearings happen there, unless the case is scheduled remotely.

Before a contested time-sharing hearing gets scheduled, Fla. Stat. 61.183 generally sends the case to mediation, and Fla. Stat. 44.108 caps the fee on a sliding income scale. A current Third Circuit fee table for Dixie County isn't available online, so ask the clerk directly for the amount.

Dixie County's exact filing fee isn't posted on the clerk's or circuit's current site, so treat the cost as unknown until the clerk confirms it. Parents who can't afford the fee can apply for civil indigent status under Fla. Stat. 57.082 to have it waived.

Official custody resources in Dixie County, FL

Dixie County Courthouse handles custody filings, located at 214 NE Highway 351, Cross City 32628.

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

The self-help center can help with procedure and paperwork. Not verified live on the clerk's or circuit's current site; see unverified list.

• 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.

Dixie County, FL Child Custody FAQs