Child Custody and Time-Sharing in Lake County, Florida

Lake County custody cases start at the Lake County Clerk of the Circuit Court's office. Judges in the Fifth Judicial Circuit's Family Division decide parental responsibility and time-sharing. The main family law courthouse is the Lake County Judicial Center at 550 W. Main Street, Tavares, FL 32778. This covers parents based in Leesburg too, not just Tavares.

Florida judges do not issue custody orders. Instead they approve a parenting plan under Fla. Stat. 61.13, which separates parental responsibility (decision-making) from time-sharing (the schedule). The default plan is Form 12.995(a). Form 12.995(b) applies when domestic violence or substance abuse is a concern, and Form 12.995(c) applies when parents live in different cities.

Both parents must also complete a parenting course under Fla. Stat. 61.21 when minor children are involved. A judge will not finalize the case until both parents finish it, and DCF maintains the list of approved providers. Any petition involving a minor child needs a UCCJEA affidavit too (Form 12.902(d)), which lists the child's residence history so the court can confirm it has jurisdiction under the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act. Contested parenting-plan disputes usually go through mediation first, under Fla. Stat. 61.183, before reaching a judge.

The statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com) is mandatory for attorneys. People representing themselves can use the portal or file paper documents with the clerk. The Fifth Judicial Circuit's family self-help program offers free procedural help to self-represented parents (https://www.circuit5.org/self-help-center/lake-county-self-help-center/). Staff will check that paperwork is complete, but by law cannot give legal advice.

Where custody cases are heard in Lake County, FL

Custody and time-sharing matters in Lake County, FL are handled by the Fifth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Lake County, with the county seat in Tavares. 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 Lake 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 Lake 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 Lake County, FL.

Local notes for Lake County, FL

Lake County's mediation coordinator, Christopher Blechschmidt, can be reached at lakemediation@circuit5.org. Mediation fees move up and down with combined household income under Fla. Stat. 44.108, and a party who qualifies as indigent can ask the clerk for a fee exemption.

The filing fee for a Lake County time-sharing or related family petition is $397.50, though additional summons or service fees can apply. The Fifth Judicial Circuit Family Court Self-Help Office is on the 5th Floor, East Wing of the Judicial Center, open for walk-ins Monday through Friday, 8:30am to noon and 1 to 4:30pm. Staff there review paperwork for completeness and point you to the right forms, but by law they cannot fill anything out or advise you on specific answers.

A judge may appoint a guardian ad litem in a contested parental responsibility case under Fla. Stat. 61.401, though it's not required. The Fifth Circuit's Guardian ad Litem Program office, which mainly handles dependency (abuse and neglect) cases, can be reached at 352-671-5757. One detail still needs confirming: call lakemediation@circuit5.org to get the exact per-session mediation fee for Lake County.

Official custody resources in Lake County, FL

Lake County Judicial Center handles custody filings, located at 550 W. Main Street, Tavares 32778.

The filing fee is $397.50. E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. Florida Courts E-Filing Portal; mandatory for attorneys, optional for self-represented parties who may file on paper.

Fifth Judicial Circuit Family Self-Help (https://www.circuit5.org/self-help-center/lake-county-self-help-center/) can help with procedure and paperwork. Fifth Judicial Circuit Family Court Self-Help Office, 5th Floor East Wing of the Judicial Center, walk-in Mon-Fri 8:30am-noon and 1-4:30pm

• Florida Courts E-Filing Portal
• Lake County Family Self-Help
• Lake County Clerk of the Circuit Court
• Fla. Stat. 61.13 - Parenting Plans and Time-Sharing
• Lake County Family Mediation

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

Lake County, FL Child Custody FAQs