Child Custody and Time-Sharing in Wakulla County, Florida

Florida law does not use the term child custody. What most Wakulla County parents mean by it, state statutes call parental responsibility and time-sharing. The clerk of court's office at the Wakulla County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller, 3056 Crawfordville Hwy, Crawfordville, opens the case. A judge from the Second Judicial Circuit then decides it.

The Wakulla Clerk Family Law/Domestic Relations page at wakullaclerk.org covers the packets used locally. Clerk staff cannot give legal advice, a rule that applies statewide, not just in Wakulla County. That is why most guidance for a self-represented parent points back to FloridaLawHelp.org and the state's own self-help materials.

Every parental responsibility and time-sharing case with minor children carries the same two obligations statewide. Parents must file a parenting plan using Form 12.995(a), or its long-distance or safety-focused counterparts, 12.995(b) and 12.995(c). They must also complete the Fla. Stat. 61.21 parenting course, generally within 45 days.

A new related family case, such as a paternity action or a dissolution that sets time-sharing, runs around $408 in filing costs in the Second Circuit. After the initial filing, most later paperwork, motions, notices, proposed orders, can go in electronically through Florida's statewide portal at myflcourtaccess.com instead of over the counter. The case type depends on marital status. Married parents get time-sharing decided inside a dissolution of marriage case under chapter 61. Parents who were never married instead file a paternity action under chapter 742, which sets parental responsibility, time-sharing, and child support all at once.

Where custody cases are heard in Wakulla County, FL

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

Local notes for Wakulla County, FL

Filings and hearings both run through one building in Wakulla County: the Wakulla County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller, 3056 Crawfordville Hwy, Crawfordville. A new case gets a docket number at intake, then moves to a Second Judicial Circuit family judge for scheduling and, eventually, a hearing.

Mediation before a contested hearing is required statewide under Fla. Stat. 61.183, with Fla. Stat. 44.108 setting the fee on an income scale. The Second Circuit does not publish a current fee page for Wakulla County, so call the clerk's family division directly to get the current number.

Filing fees run around $408 in the Second Circuit, but the clerk's office has 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 Wakulla County, FL

Wakulla County Clerk of Circuit Court & Comptroller handles custody filings, located at 3056 Crawfordville Hwy, Crawfordville 32327.

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 Second Judicial Circuit.

Wakulla Clerk Family Law/Domestic Relations page (https://wakullaclerk.org/courts/family_law_domestic_relations.php) 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.

Wakulla County, FL Child Custody FAQs