Child Custody and Time-Sharing in Madison County, Florida

In Madison County, custody matters are correctly called parental responsibility and time-sharing cases. They begin with a filing at the clerk of court's office, Madison County Courthouse, Madison, 32340. A Third Judicial Circuit family judge then takes over scheduling and, eventually, the decision itself.

The clerk's office does not publish a working self-help or family-law packet page. Plan to call the family division directly. The clerk's role is purely mechanical: accept the petition, take the fee, issue the summons, and eventually certify the signed order. Everything else, what to file and when, is up to the parent or their own research.

Any case that sets parental responsibility and time-sharing needs a parenting plan on file. Use Form 12.995(a), or the long-distance and safety-focused versions, 12.995(b) and 12.995(c), when those situations apply. If the children are minors, both parents also owe the state a Fla. Stat. 61.21 parenting course before a judge signs the final order, generally within 45 days of filing or being served.

The clerk's site does not publish a verified filing fee for Madison County; call the family division to confirm the current cost. E-filing removes the need to drive to Madison for every document, since myflcourtaccess.com is a single portal used by all 20 judicial circuits for family case filings, Madison County included. The case caption depends on the parents' marital history. Divorcing spouses set time-sharing through a chapter 61 dissolution. Never-married parents instead use chapter 742, a paternity action that establishes legal fatherhood, parental responsibility, and a schedule in one filing.

Where custody cases are heard in Madison County, FL

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

Local notes for Madison County, FL

Nearly everything in a Madison County family case, filing, docketing, and most hearings, happens at one address: the Madison County Courthouse, 125 SW Range Avenue, Madison, 32340. A remote hearing, when one is scheduled, is the main exception.

Statewide, contested custody disputes go through mediation first under Fla. Stat. 61.183, and Fla. Stat. 44.108 sets fees on a sliding scale tied to income. No working, Third Circuit-specific fee page for Madison County is published online; confirm the current cost with the clerk before a hearing is scheduled.

Madison County's exact filing fee is not confirmed on a live page on the clerk's or circuit's current site; call the clerk to confirm the cost before filing. 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 Madison County, FL

Madison County Courthouse handles custody filings, located at 125 SW Range Avenue, Madison 32340.

E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, statewide system covering all 20 circuits including the Third Judicial Circuit.

The self-help center can help with procedure and paperwork. Not verified live on the clerk's or circuit's current site; see unverified list.

• 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.

Madison County, FL Child Custody FAQs