Child Custody and Time-Sharing in Levy County, Florida

Levy County, Florida calls child custody cases parental responsibility and time-sharing matters. File with the Levy County Clerk of Court; the case is heard in Circuit Court, Family Division, of the Eighth Judicial Circuit. Filings and hearings happen at the Levy County Courthouse, 355 South Court Street, Bronson, FL 32621. Residents of Williston and the rest of Levy County file at this same courthouse.

Fla. Stat. 61.13 governs every Florida custody case and requires a parenting plan instead of a simple custody order. The plan covers parental responsibility (decision-making authority) and time-sharing (the schedule). Most cases use Form 12.995(a); safety concerns call for 12.995(b); long-distance parenting arrangements use 12.995(c).

Cases with minor children trigger one more requirement: Fla. Stat. 61.21 makes both parents complete a parenting course, chosen from the DCF-approved provider list, before final judgment. Any minor-child petition also needs the UCCJEA affidavit, Form 12.902(d), which uses the child's residence history to show the court has authority to hear the case. Contested time-sharing hearings usually come with a mediation referral first; Fla. Stat. 61.183 authorizes it and most circuits treat it as a standard step.

Attorneys must file through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal (myflcourtaccess.com); self-represented parties can use the portal too, or file paper documents at the clerk's counter. The Eighth Judicial Circuit's family self-help program offers procedural help: https://circuit8.org/self-help/. Staff there can point you to the right forms and explain filing steps, but by law they cannot give legal advice or tell you how to answer a specific question on your paperwork.

Where custody cases are heard in Levy County, FL

Custody and time-sharing matters in Levy County, FL are handled by the Eighth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Levy County, with the county seat in Bronson. 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 Levy 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 Levy 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 Levy County, FL.

Local notes for Levy County, FL

Levy County family mediation runs through contract mediators from the circuit's Family Contract Mediators list. Combined household income under $50,000 is billed at $60 per person per session; income from $50,000 to $99,999 is billed at $120 per person per session. Indigent parties are exempt once the Clerk approves an indigency finding. Income, not a flat rate, sets the fee under Fla. Stat. 44.108, and the clerk can waive it entirely for a party found indigent.

A time-sharing petition in Levy County carries a $408 filing fee; summons or service costs can add to that. For help, contact the Eighth Judicial Circuit Self-Help Center, Family and Civil Justice Center Room 413 in Gainesville, (352) 548-3781, which serves Levy along with Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Gilchrist, and Union. By law, that program can confirm your forms are complete and correct but cannot fill them out for you or advise you on how to answer.

Fla. Stat. 61.401 allows, but does not require, a court to appoint a guardian ad litem in a contested custody dispute. The Eighth Circuit Guardian ad Litem Program office, mainly a dependency-case program, can be reached at 352-374-3656.

Official custody resources in Levy County, FL

Levy County Courthouse handles custody filings, located at 355 South Court Street, Bronson 32621.

The filing fee is $408. 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.

Eighth Judicial Circuit Family Self-Help (https://circuit8.org/self-help/) can help with procedure and paperwork. Eighth Judicial Circuit Self-Help Center, Family and Civil Justice Center Room 413 in Gainesville, (352) 548-3781, serving Levy along with Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Gilchrist, and Union

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

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

Levy County, FL Child Custody FAQs