Child Custody and Time-Sharing in Taylor County, Florida

Parents in Taylor County filing a child custody case are, by statute, opening a parental responsibility and time-sharing matter under chapter 61. The clerk's office at the Taylor County Courthouse, 108 North Jefferson Street, Perry, handles intake before the Third Judicial Circuit assigns a family judge.

The Taylor Clerk DIY Forms page, hosted at taylorclerk.com, covers the packets used locally. Nothing the clerk does counts as legal advice, only intake, fee collection, and docketing, so the substance of a case still comes from statewide resources rather than the courthouse counter.

Regardless of which courtroom in the Third Judicial Circuit hears the case, two requirements apply: a signed parenting plan, built on Form 12.995(a), 12.995(b), or 12.995(c), and, for minor children, the parenting course required by Fla. Stat. 61.21, due about 45 days after filing or service.

A new related family case, such as a paternity action or dissolution that sets time-sharing, runs around $408 in filing costs in the Third Circuit. Adding a custody request to an existing case is often free or a small motion fee, while opening a brand new case carries the full filing cost. Florida's E-Filing Portal, myflcourtaccess.com, covers all 20 circuits, so most of that paperwork can be submitted online rather than in person. Two doors lead to the same outcome. A divorcing couple resolves time-sharing inside a chapter 61 dissolution case. An unmarried couple files a chapter 742 paternity action instead, and that filing is what first establishes legal fatherhood alongside parental responsibility and a schedule.

Where custody cases are heard in Taylor County, FL

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

Local notes for Taylor County, FL

The clerk's family division in Taylor County sits at Taylor County Courthouse, 108 North Jefferson Street, Perry, 32347. That address is also where hearings happen once a case is assigned, unless the Third Judicial Circuit moves it to a different courtroom or a remote setting.

The referral to mediation, and the income-based fee scale behind it, come from Fla. Stat. 61.183 and 44.108. Both apply in Taylor County the same as anywhere else in Florida. No current Third Circuit fee page could be verified for this guide; call the clerk's family division to confirm the mediation fee.

Filing fees around $408 were reported for the Third Circuit though the clerk's office is the final word on the current amount. 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 Taylor County, FL

Taylor County Courthouse handles custody filings, located at 108 North Jefferson Street, Perry 32347.

The filing fee is $408. 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.

Taylor Clerk DIY Forms page (https://taylorclerk.com/online-services/diy-forms/) can help with procedure and paperwork. Verified live on the clerk's or circuit's current site.

• 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.

Taylor County, FL Child Custody FAQs