Child Custody and Time-Sharing in Seminole County, Florida

In Seminole County, child custody cases go by a different name in the law: parental responsibility and time-sharing cases. File them with the Seminole County Clerk of the Circuit Court. The Eighteenth Judicial Circuit hears them in its Family Division. All family cases in Seminole County are processed at the Seminole Civil Courthouse, 301 N. Park Avenue, Sanford, FL 32771. That's true whether you live near Sanford or out toward Altamonte Springs.

Florida dropped the word custody from its statutes years ago. Fla. Stat. 61.13 requires the court to set a parenting plan covering parental responsibility (how parents share major decisions about the child) and a time-sharing schedule (which parent has the child when). Most parenting plans use Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.995(a). A safety-focused version, Form 12.995(b), applies to cases involving domestic violence, substance abuse, or other safety concerns. A long-distance version, Form 12.995(c), covers parents who live far apart.

Fla. Stat. 61.21 requires both parents to complete a parenting course whenever minor children are part of the case. Check DCF's approved-provider list to find one. Every petition involving a minor child needs Form 12.902(d), the UCCJEA affidavit, which lists where the child has lived so the court can confirm jurisdiction under the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act. Contested parenting-plan disagreements usually go through mediation first, under Fla. Stat. 61.183, before reaching a judge.

Electronic filing runs through myflcourtaccess.com statewide. It's required for attorneys and optional for self-represented parties, who can still file paper at the counter. The Eighteenth Judicial Circuit's family self-help program (https://flcourts18.org/sem-family-pro-se/) exists to help a parent without a lawyer figure out which forms to file and in what order. Staff there never give legal advice.

Where custody cases are heard in Seminole County, FL

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

Local notes for Seminole County, FL

Schedule Seminole family mediation at Mediation@flcourts18.org or (407) 665-4200. Sessions are held online by video. The fee is not flat: Fla. Stat. 44.108 scales it to combined household income. Indigent parties pay nothing, parties under $50,000 combined income pay $60 per party, and parties from $50,000 to $100,000 pay $120 per party. The clerk can also grant a fee exemption to an indigent party.

Expect a $408 filing fee for a time-sharing petition in Seminole County. Summons or service costs can add to that. For help with forms, contact the Dorothy Guess Self-Help Center at prose-shc@seminoleclerk.org or (407) 665-4300. Spanish-language help is available at SeminoleSelfhelp@flcourts18.org or (407) 665-4554. Self-help staff can confirm which forms you need and check your paperwork for completeness, but by law they cannot fill out forms for you or tell you what to put in them.

Fla. Stat. 61.401 leaves guardian ad litem appointments in contested custody cases up to the judge's discretion. For general information, contact the Eighteenth Circuit's Guardian ad Litem Program office, which mainly handles dependency cases, at 407-665-5371.

Official custody resources in Seminole County, FL

Seminole Civil Courthouse handles custody filings, located at 301 N. Park Avenue, Sanford 32771. Phone: 407-665-4300.

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.

Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Family Self-Help (https://flcourts18.org/sem-family-pro-se/) can help with procedure and paperwork. Dorothy Guess Self-Help Center, prose-shc@seminoleclerk.org, (407) 665-4300; Spanish-language help at SeminoleSelfhelp@flcourts18.org, (407) 665-4554

• Florida Courts E-Filing Portal
• Seminole County Family Self-Help
• Seminole County Clerk of the Circuit 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.

Seminole County, FL Child Custody FAQs