Child Custody and Time-Sharing in Orange County, Florida

Orange County hears child custody and time-sharing cases at the Orange County Courthouse in downtown Orlando, 425 N. Orange Avenue. Self-help assistance is also available at the Winter Park Courthouse. The Orange County Clerk's Self-Help Center is open weekdays from 7:30am to 4:00pm and helps self-represented parents fill out family law forms and get documents notarized. Arrive by 3:00pm if you need same-day filing.

Any Orange County case touching parental responsibility or time-sharing needs a Parenting Plan: Form 12.995(a) for standard cases, or 12.995(b) for supervised time-sharing. It also needs a UCCJEA Affidavit, Form 12.902(d), covering 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.

The Ninth Judicial Circuit's Dispute Resolution Services handles family mediation for Orange County. Either parent can request it with an online Form 50. Fees follow a sliding scale based on combined income, and a parent the court certifies as indigent pays nothing.

Family Court Case Management, in Office 330 at the Orange County Courthouse, helps judges and magistrates keep self-represented cases moving and can point parents to the right procedural steps. Staff cannot give legal advice.

Where custody cases are heard in Orange County, FL

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

Local notes for Orange County, FL

Orange County's mediation fees are tiered: $60 per party for combined household income under $50,000, $120 per party for income between $50,000 and $100,000, and above $100,000 the parties either hire a private mediator or use the court's rotation list. Contact Dispute Resolution Services at (407) 836-2004 or OrangeCountyDRS@ocnjcc.org to schedule after filing Form 50.

The circuit's Children's Visitation Center provides supervised time-sharing and monitored exchanges for Orange County families when a judge has ordered supervision. It gives parents and children a structured, neutral setting for contact.

The Ninth Circuit also offers Parenting Coordination for high-conflict co-parents who already have a parenting plan but keep clashing over its terms. This is a structured conflict-resolution process separate from the initial custody case.

Official custody resources in Orange County, FL

Orange County Courthouse handles custody filings, located at 425 N. Orange Ave., Suite 320, Orlando 32801. Winter Park Courthouse at Winter Park, FL handles A satellite location where the Clerk's Self-Help Center also offers family law assistance..

The filing fee is $408. E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. Self-represented parents may file in person at the Orange County Courthouse, rooms 320 or 340, or e-file through the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal; e-filing is mandatory for attorneys under Fla. R. Jud. Admin. 2.525.

Orange County Clerk Self Help Center (https://www.myorangeclerk.com/Divisions/Self-Help-Center/Self-Help-Center) can help with procedure and paperwork. Offers low-cost family law assistance, including attorney consultations, form completion help, and notarization, Monday through Friday, 7:30am to 4:00pm at the main courthouse; arrive by 3:00pm for same-day filing. Also available at the Winter Park Courthouse.

• Orange County Clerk Self Help Center
• Ninth Circuit Dispute Resolution Services
• Ninth Circuit Children's Visitation Program
• Florida Courts E-Filing Portal
• Form 12.902(d) UCCJEA Affidavit

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

Orange County, FL Child Custody FAQs