Child Custody and Time-Sharing in Okeechobee County, Florida

Okeechobee County is the smallest and most inland of the four counties in the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit. Child custody and parenting-plan cases here are filed with the Clerk of Court at the Okeechobee County Courthouse, 304 NW 2nd Street, phone 863-763-2131. Unlike some larger circuits, no dedicated family self-help center page exists for Okeechobee County. A parent planning to file without a lawyer should call the Clerk directly to ask what in-person help is currently available, rather than assume a walk-in desk is staffed.

Self-represented parents can still get every Florida Supreme Court approved family law form free through the statewide Florida Courts Help library. Floridalawhelp.org also lists legal-aid and self-help referrals that reach rural counties like Okeechobee. The Florida Courts E-Filing Portal handles electronic filing circuit-wide, though county-specific e-filing notes for Okeechobee were not confirmed on the pages checked. The standard dissolution filing fee is $408.00. A custody-only petition's fee depends on the case type, so confirm the exact amount with the Clerk before filing.

Okeechobee shares the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit with Indian River, Martin, and St. Lucie counties, so the mediation program and parenting-course requirement work the same way here as elsewhere in the circuit. Family mediation is open to parents with combined gross income of $100,000 a year or less. As of the page checked, sessions circuit-wide are held online, with at least 48 hours' notice, arranged through 772-807-4370. Parents required to complete a parenting course under Fla. Stat. 61.21 satisfy it through the circuit's Standing Order of Referral to Parent Education Classes.

Any pleading affecting where a child will live also needs a sworn UCCJEA affidavit, Form 12.902(d), so the court can confirm jurisdiction under Florida's Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act before ruling on custody or time-sharing.

Where custody cases are heard in Okeechobee County, FL

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

Local notes for Okeechobee County, FL

Okeechobee's smaller size, and the lack of a confirmed self-help center, make a call to the Clerk's office at 863-763-2131 a more useful first step here than in a county with a dedicated self-help desk. Ask specifically what forms assistance, if any, is available in person before making a trip to the courthouse.

Since Okeechobee is the most inland of the circuit's four counties, also ask whether a given hearing will be held in person in Okeechobee or scheduled for a remote appearance. The circuit's family mediation currently runs online, and hearing practices can follow a similar pattern.

A parent seeking to change an existing custody or timesharing order should use the circuit's Supplemental Petition to Modify Parental Responsibility, Visitation or Parenting Plan, Timesharing Schedule checklist, rather than starting over with dissolution paperwork. A modification case is a distinct filing with its own requirements.

Official custody resources in Okeechobee County, FL

Okeechobee County Courthouse handles custody filings, located at 304 NW 2nd Street, Okeechobee 34972. Phone: 863-763-2131.

E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, statewide (available circuit-wide; county-specific e-filing notes for Okeechobee were not confirmed on pages checked). Dissolution filing fee is $408.00 per the Clerk's fee schedule; custody-only petition fees vary by case type.

No dedicated self-help resource located for Okeechobee County can help with procedure and paperwork. No self-help center page was located for the Okeechobee County Clerk. Self-represented parents can use the statewide Florida Courts Help forms library and floridalawhelp.org for legal-aid referrals, or call the Clerk directly at 863-763-2131 to ask what in-person help is currently available.

• Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Family Division
• Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Mediation
• Okeechobee County Clerk of Court
• Florida Courts E-Filing Portal
• Florida Law Help

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

Okeechobee County, FL Child Custody FAQs