Child Custody and Time-Sharing in Manatee County, Florida

Manatee County hears child custody and time-sharing cases at the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1115 Manatee Avenue West in Bradenton. The county sits in the Twelfth Judicial Circuit along with DeSoto and Sarasota. Manatee has no dedicated self-help center like Sarasota does. Instead, the Courthouse Cashiering station sells self-help packets covering custody, divorce, and adoption.

A Parenting Plan is required in any Manatee case involving parental responsibility or time-sharing. Use Form 12.995(a) for a standard arrangement or 12.995(b) if time-sharing must be supervised. Every case also needs a UCCJEA Affidavit, Form 12.902(d), documenting the child's residence history for the past five years. Both parents must finish a state-approved parenting course before the court finalizes the case.

The Manatee Clerk also offers TurboCourt, an interactive online tool for preparing dissolution forms, as an alternative to the printed packets. Family law filings can be mailed to the Clerk at P.O. Box 25400, Bradenton, FL 34206.

Contested time-sharing disputes generally go through the Twelfth Circuit's Family Mediation Program, shared across all three counties, before a judge sets a hearing.

Where custody cases are heard in Manatee County, FL

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

Local notes for Manatee County, FL

The Twelfth Circuit's Family Mediation Program charges on a sliding scale. Combined household income of $50,000 or less pays $60 per party. Income between $50,000 and $100,000 pays $120 per party. Above $100,000 combined income, the program cannot mediate, so the parties pick a private mediator instead. Manatee's mediation contact is (941) 749-3654. Both parents must file financial affidavits before the court issues an Order of Referral.

High-conflict co-parents who already have a parenting plan but keep fighting over its terms can use the Twelfth Circuit's Parenting Coordinator program. It gives them a structured process for working through disagreements without going back to court over every issue.

Manatee's filing fee for a dissolution or related family case runs $397.50, a bit below the $408 some neighboring counties charge. Fee schedules change, so confirm the current amount with the Clerk before filing.

Official custody resources in Manatee County, FL

Manatee County Judicial Center handles custody filings, located at 1115 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton 34205.

The filing fee is $397.50. E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. Florida Courts E-Filing Portal; self-represented parties may use TurboCourt or file on paper at the Manatee County Judicial Center.

Manatee Clerk Self-Help Packets (Courthouse Cashiering) (https://www.manateeclerk.com) can help with procedure and paperwork. No dedicated self-help center page was found; self-help packets covering divorce, custody, and adoption are sold at the Courthouse Cashiering station, and TurboCourt links are provided for dissolution forms. Mailing address for family law filings: Attn: Family Law, P.O. Box 25400, Bradenton, FL 34206.

• Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court
• Twelfth Circuit Family Mediation Requirements
• Twelfth Circuit Guardian ad Litem
• Twelfth Circuit Parenting Coordinator
• Florida Courts E-Filing Portal

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

Manatee County, FL Child Custody FAQs