Child Custody and Time-Sharing in Gadsden County, Florida

Florida no longer uses the word custody in court filings. A Gadsden County parent instead opens a case for parental responsibility and time-sharing. The clerk of court accepts the filing and assigns it to a Second Judicial Circuit family judge, who typically hears the case at the Gadsden County Courthouse in Quincy.

The clerk's office doesn't have a working self-help or family-law packet page online, so call the family division directly for guidance. Clerk staff process paperwork, collect fees, and keep the docket moving, but Florida law forbids them from explaining legal rights or telling a parent what to write. That's why the state runs the Family Law Self-Help Information page and FloridaLawHelp.org for people handling their own case.

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.

Gadsden County's filing fee isn't posted on the clerk's or circuit's current site, so call the clerk to confirm the amount before you file. After that initial fee, most later paperwork, motions, notices, and proposed orders, can go in electronically through Florida's statewide portal at myflcourtaccess.com instead of over the counter. Which case type applies depends on marital status. Married parents get time-sharing decided inside a dissolution of marriage case under chapter 61. Parents who were never married file a paternity action under chapter 742 instead, which sets parental responsibility, time-sharing, and child support all at once.

Where custody cases are heard in Gadsden County, FL

Custody and time-sharing matters in Gadsden County, FL are handled by the Second Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Gadsden County, with the county seat in Quincy. 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 Gadsden 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 Gadsden 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 Gadsden County, FL.

Local notes for Gadsden County, FL

The address that matters most in a Gadsden County custody case is the Gadsden County Courthouse, 10 East Jefferson Street, Quincy. Filing, docketing, and most hearings happen there, unless the case is scheduled remotely.

As in every Florida circuit, Gadsden County sends contested time-sharing disputes to mediation under Fla. Stat. 61.183, with a fee that Fla. Stat. 44.108 is supposed to scale to income. The clerk's and circuit's current sites don't publish a working fee schedule specific to the Second Circuit.

Gadsden County's exact filing fee doesn't appear on a live page 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 get it waived.

Official custody resources in Gadsden County, FL

Gadsden County Courthouse handles custody filings, located at 10 East Jefferson Street, Quincy 32351.

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

Gadsden County, FL Child Custody FAQs