Updated July 2026
Child Custody and Time-Sharing in Jackson County, Florida
A plain-language guide to child custody in Jackson County, FL, from the forms you file at the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Jackson County to mediation, parental responsibility, and time-sharing and how to prepare your paperwork without hiring an attorney.
Jackson County parents filing for what they call custody are actually filing a parental responsibility and time-sharing case under Florida's chapter 61. The clerk of court's office at the Jackson County Courthouse, 4445 Lafayette St, Marianna, opens the case. A Fourteenth Judicial Circuit family judge closes it.
The Fourteenth Circuit Family Law Forms page, hosted at jacksonclerk.com, covers the packets used locally. Clerk staff process paperwork, collect fees, and keep the docket moving. Florida law bars them from explaining legal rights or telling a parent what to write. That gap is why the state built the Family Law Self-Help Information page and FloridaLawHelp.org for people representing themselves.
Every parental responsibility and time-sharing case with minor children carries two obligations statewide: file a parenting plan using Form 12.995(a), or its long-distance or safety-focused counterparts 12.995(b) and 12.995(c), and complete the Fla. Stat. 61.21 parenting course, generally within 45 days.
A new related family case, such as a paternity action or a dissolution that sets time-sharing, costs about $408 in filing fees in the Fourteenth Circuit. Beyond that initial fee, most later paperwork, including 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 Jackson County, FL
Custody and time-sharing matters in Jackson County, FL are handled by the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Jackson County, with the county seat in Marianna. 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 Jackson 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 Jackson 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:
- Open or use an existing case: a petition for dissolution of marriage, or a paternity case for unmarried parents.
- File a proposed Parenting Plan (Florida Supreme Court approved family law form 12.995(a)) covering parental responsibility and a time-sharing schedule.
- Serve the other parent and file proof of service.
- Complete a parenting course if your circuit requires one for cases with minor children (Fla. Stat. 61.21).
- 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 Jackson County, FL.
Local notes for Jackson County, FL
Filings and hearings in Jackson County both happen in one building: the Jackson County Courthouse, 4445 Lafayette St, Marianna. A new case gets a docket number at intake, then moves to a Fourteenth Judicial Circuit family judge for scheduling and, eventually, a hearing.
Contested parental responsibility and time-sharing matters in the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit go to mediation under Administrative Order 2007-00-03. The circuit's sliding-scale program charges $60 per person per session when combined household income is $50,000 or less, or $120 per person per session for income 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 of about $408 were reported for the Fourteenth Circuit, but the clerk's office has the final word on the current amount. 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 Jackson County, FL
Jackson County Courthouse handles custody filings, located at 4445 Lafayette St, Marianna 32446.
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.
Fourteenth Circuit Family Law Forms page (https://jud14.flcourts.org/family-law/family-law-forms) 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.
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Jackson County, FL Child Custody FAQs
Where do I file for child custody in Jackson County?
File with the clerk of court's family division at the Jackson County Courthouse, 4445 Lafayette St, Marianna, 32446, either in person or through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal at myflcourtaccess.com. A Fourteenth Judicial Circuit family judge then hears the case. Whether the filing is a paternity action or part of a dissolution case depends on whether the parents were married.
Does Jackson County require mediation before a contested time-sharing hearing?
Yes. Under Administrative Order 2007-00-03, contested parental responsibility and time-sharing cases in the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit go to mediation before a contested hearing. The circuit's own program charges $60 per person per session when combined household income is $50,000 or less, or $120 per person per session for income between $50,001 and $100,000. Most cases resolve in a single three-hour session. Parents above that income range use a private certified mediator instead.
Do both parents have to take a parenting course in Jackson County?
Yes, if minor children are involved. Fla. Stat. 61.21 requires both parents in a dissolution or paternity case with minor children to complete a state-approved, four-hour Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course before a final judgment. The petitioner generally has 45 days from filing to finish and file proof; the other parent has 45 days from being served.
What form do I use for a parenting plan in Jackson County?
Start with Form 12.995(a), Florida's standard Parenting Plan. If one parent lives far from the child, use the long-distance version, 12.995(b). If safety concerns limit contact, use 12.995(c) instead. Every case with minor children also needs Form 12.902(d), the UCCJEA affidavit, which lists where the child has lived over the past five years.
What if the parents in Jackson County were never married?
Without a marriage to end, parents file a paternity action under chapter 742 instead. That case establishes legal fatherhood and sets parental responsibility, time-sharing, and support all at once. It goes through the same clerk's family division that handles dissolution cases.
Is there a supervised visitation or guardian ad litem program serving Jackson County?
The Fourteenth Judicial Circuit also runs a supervised visitation referral process under Administrative Order 2015-00-01. The circuit's family court manager can tell you which local program currently has capacity. Statewide, the Florida Guardian ad Litem Program can be appointed when a child's interests need independent representation, and its site has a tool to find the office covering this circuit.
This page is general information about Florida child custody procedure in Jackson County, FL, not legal advice for your situation. Court locations, programs, and filing details change; always confirm current details with the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Jackson County or the official Florida family court self-help program resources. If your case involves domestic violence, abduction risk, or a child's safety, contact the court's family court self-help program or a licensed Florida family law attorney, and in an emergency call 911. Virdix is not a law firm and is not a substitute for an attorney.
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