Child Custody and Time-Sharing in Volusia County, Florida

Volusia County residents file child custody actions, known formally as parental responsibility and time-sharing cases, with the Volusia County Clerk of the Circuit Court. The Seventh Judicial Circuit hears them in its Family Division. Family cases in Volusia County are processed at the Volusia County Courthouse, located at 101 N. Alabama Avenue in DeLand, FL 32724. That holds whether you live near DeLand or out toward Daytona Beach.

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, 12.995(b), applies to cases involving domestic violence, substance abuse, or other safety concerns. A long-distance version, 12.995(c), covers parents who live far apart.

Fla. Stat. 61.21 makes a parenting course mandatory for both parents whenever minor children are part of the case. DCF's approved-provider list is the place to find one. Any petition involving a minor child must also include a UCCJEA affidavit, Form 12.902(d), which discloses the child's residence history so the court can confirm it has jurisdiction under the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act. Contested parenting-plan disagreements typically go through mediation first, under Fla. Stat. 61.183, before reaching a judge.

The statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, myflcourtaccess.com, is mandatory for attorneys. People representing themselves can use the portal or file paper documents with the clerk. The Seventh Judicial Circuit's family self-help program offers free procedural assistance to self-represented parents at https://www.clerk.org/family-law.aspx. Staff will check that paperwork is complete, but by law they cannot give legal advice.

Where custody cases are heard in Volusia County, FL

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

Local notes for Volusia County, FL

Volusia County family cases with combined party income under $100,000 qualify for the circuit's court mediation program under Administrative Order FM-2012-027-SC. Volusia's supervised visitation provider is Children's Home Society, at (386) 274-0341. Income, not a flat rate, sets the mediation fee under Fla. Stat. 44.108. The clerk can waive it entirely for a party found indigent.

The filing fee for a Volusia County time-sharing or related family petition is $408, though additional summons or service fees can apply. The clerk's Family Law page is reachable Mon-Fri 8am-4pm at the DeLand courthouse (386-736-5908) and the Daytona Beach branch (386-257-6083). Self-help staff can confirm which forms you need and check paperwork for completeness, but by law they cannot fill out forms for you or tell you what to put in them.

A judge may, but is not required to, appoint a guardian ad litem in a contested parental responsibility case under Fla. Stat. 61.401. The Seventh Circuit's Guardian ad Litem Program office, which primarily handles dependency (abuse and neglect) cases, can be reached at 386-239-7803.

Official custody resources in Volusia County, FL

Volusia County Courthouse handles custody filings, located at 101 N. Alabama Avenue, DeLand 32724. Phone: (386) 736-5908.

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.

Seventh Judicial Circuit Family Self-Help (https://www.clerk.org/family-law.aspx) can help with procedure and paperwork. Clerk's Family Law page, reachable Mon-Fri 8am-4pm at the DeLand courthouse (386-736-5908) and the Daytona Beach branch (386-257-6083)

• Florida Courts E-Filing Portal
• Volusia County Family Self-Help
• Volusia 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.

Volusia County, FL Child Custody FAQs