Child Custody and Time-Sharing in Jefferson County, Florida

"Parental responsibility" and "time-sharing" are the two terms that matter for child custody in Jefferson County. Parental responsibility covers who makes major decisions for the child. Time-sharing sets the schedule. A Second Judicial Circuit family judge decides both, once the clerk's office at the Jefferson County Courthouse in Monticello has docketed the case.

The Jefferson Clerk Family Law page, at jeffersonclerk.com, covers the packets used locally. The clerk's role stays mechanical: accept the petition, take the fee, issue the summons, and later certify a signed order. Deciding what to file and when falls to the parent, through their own research.

Florida requires a parenting plan in the file before finalizing any time-sharing order. Use the standard Form 12.995(a), the long-distance version 12.995(b), or the safety-focused 12.995(c), depending on the situation. Parents of minor children also need proof of the Fla. Stat. 61.21 parenting course before a final judgment is entered.

Filing a new related family case, such as a paternity action or a dissolution that sets time-sharing, costs around $408 in the Second Circuit. E-filing means parents don't need to drive to Monticello for every document: myflcourtaccess.com is a single portal covering all 20 judicial circuits for family case filings, including Jefferson County. The parents' marital history determines the case type. Divorcing spouses set time-sharing through a chapter 61 dissolution. Never-married parents instead file under chapter 742, a paternity action that establishes legal fatherhood, parental responsibility, and a schedule, all in one filing.

Where custody cases are heard in Jefferson County, FL

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

Local notes for Jefferson County, FL

One building handles most of a Jefferson County case: the Jefferson County Courthouse at 1 Courthouse Circle, Monticello, 32344. The clerk's family division works out of this courthouse, and the assigned family judge is usually based there too.

Jefferson County follows Florida's statewide mediation-before-hearing rule, Fla. Stat. 61.183, with fees meant to track income under Fla. Stat. 44.108. The Second Circuit does not publish its own fee sheet, so call the clerk's office to confirm the exact dollar amount.

Expect filing fees around $408 in the Second Circuit, but check with the clerk's office for the current figure. 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 Jefferson County, FL

Jefferson County Courthouse handles custody filings, located at 1 Courthouse Circle, Monticello 32344.

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 Second Judicial Circuit.

Jefferson Clerk Family Law page (https://www.jeffersonclerk.com/court-services/family-law/) can help with procedure and paperwork. Verified live on the clerk's or circuit's current site.

• 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.

Jefferson County, FL Child Custody FAQs