Child Custody and Time-Sharing in Lee County, Florida

Lee County child custody and time-sharing cases are heard at the Lee County Justice Center, 2075 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Fort Myers. Lee is the largest county in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit, which also includes Charlotte, Collier, Glades, and Hendry. A Self-Help Center on the Justice Center's first floor offers free virtual legal consultations through Lee County Legal Aid, notary services, and public access computers. The Clerk's site does not publish current hours for automated verification, so call ahead to confirm before you visit.

Any Lee County case involving parental responsibility or time-sharing needs a Parenting Plan. Use Form 12.995(a) for a standard arrangement or Form 12.995(b) for supervised time-sharing. You also need a UCCJEA Affidavit, Form 12.902(d), documenting the child's residence history for the past five years. Both parents must complete a state-approved Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course before the court finalizes the case.

TurboCourt is available in Lee County as an optional paid tool for preparing dissolution and related forms. It costs $10.40 to prepare and print, plus $10.00 to e-file. This is an alternative to the free self-help resources at the Justice Center.

Contested time-sharing disputes in the Twentieth Circuit typically go to mediation under Administrative Order 1.16. Lee is the circuit's largest county and handles a substantial share of its family mediation caseload.

Where custody cases are heard in Lee County, FL

Custody and time-sharing matters in Lee County, FL are handled by the Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Lee County, with the county seat in Fort Myers. 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 Lee 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 Lee 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 Lee County, FL.

Local notes for Lee County, FL

The Twentieth Circuit established Unified Family Court under Administrative Orders 12.2 and 12.4. It coordinates related cases involving the same family, such as a dependency case alongside a custody dispute, so a consistent judicial team hears them together. This applies to any Lee County case, including those filed in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Bonita Springs.

Remote hearing and evidence procedures for civil and family cases have been in use circuit-wide under Administrative Order 2.40 since the COVID-19 pandemic. Check the notice of hearing for your Lee County case to see whether it will be in person at the Justice Center or held remotely.

The Clerk's site could not be independently verified when this page was last checked. Self-represented parents should call ahead or visit in person to confirm current Self-Help Center hours, the Legal Aid consultation schedule, and whether an appointment is required.

Official custody resources in Lee County, FL

Lee County Justice Center handles custody filings, located at 2075 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Fort Myers 33901.

The filing fee is $408. E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. Florida Courts E-Filing Portal; TurboCourt is available for form preparation as an optional paid service ($10.40 to prepare and print, $10.00 to e-file). Family law mailing address: P.O. Box 2469, Fort Myers, FL 33902.

Lee County Self-Help Center (https://www.ca.cjis20.org) can help with procedure and paperwork. The Lee Clerk describes a Self-Help Center on the 1st floor of the Lee County Justice Center, offering free virtual legal consultations through Lee County Legal Aid, notary services, and public access computers; the Clerk's own site blocked automated verification of current hours, so confirm directly before visiting.

• Twentieth Circuit AO 1.16 Court-Ordered Mediation
• Twentieth Circuit AO 2.40 Remote Hearings
• Florida Guardian ad Litem Program
• Florida Courts E-Filing Portal
• Form 12.995(a) Parenting Plan

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

Lee County, FL Child Custody FAQs