Filing for Divorce in Glades County, Florida

Glades County is one of the smallest counties in this guide. Its Clerk's office does not list a specific filing fee for dissolution of marriage, on its website or its fee calculator, unlike most nearby counties. Call the clerk at (863) 946-6010 to confirm the current amount before you file. Don't assume it matches the $408 fee common elsewhere in Florida.

Family cases are filed and heard at the Glades County Courthouse, 500 Avenue J, Suite 102, in Moore Haven. The clerk's Family Law page says forms and packets are sold in the office for a fee, but it doesn't list prices online. Call ahead so you don't waste a trip.

Glades is part of the Twentieth Judicial Circuit, which also covers Charlotte, Collier, Hendry, and Lee counties. Circuit-wide administrative orders govern Glades family cases, including Order 1.16 on court-ordered mediation. Because Glades is so small, it often shares its duty judge and some hearing schedules with neighboring Hendry County instead of running them independently.

Couples with no minor children together, property already divided, and no alimony request may qualify for simplified dissolution. Self-represented parties can e-file through the statewide portal even when in-person details are limited.

Where you file in Glades County, FL

Divorce cases in Glades County, FL are handled by the Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Glades County. Because courthouse locations, hours, filing fees, and electronic filing options change over time and can differ between branches, use the Florida court clerk directory to confirm the current address and filing details for your case:

Find the Glades County, FL Clerk of Court (Florida court clerk directory)

The Florida divorce process, step by step

Florida calls divorce "dissolution of marriage," governed statewide by Florida Statutes chapter 61. At least one spouse generally must have lived in Florida for six months before filing (Fla. Stat. 61.021). The core steps are:

1. File a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage with the circuit court.
2. Serve your spouse, or, if you are filing together and agree on all terms, file jointly and skip service.
3. Exchange mandatory financial disclosure, including a Financial Affidavit (Florida Supreme Court approved family law form 12.902(b) or 12.902(c) depending on income).
4. Reach a Marital Settlement Agreement, or ask the court to decide contested issues.
5. Attend a mandatory parenting course if you have minor children and your circuit requires one, then submit your final paperwork for the judge to enter a Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage.

The clerk's filing fee to open a dissolution case is generally around $409, and an application for civil indigent status is available if you cannot afford it (Fla. Stat. 57.082). Florida does not use a fixed statewide waiting period from filing to final judgment the way some states do; timing depends on your circuit's calendar, whether the case is contested, and how quickly required steps like financial disclosure are completed. Couples who agree on every term, have no minor children, and meet certain conditions may qualify for Florida's simplified dissolution of marriage process, which is faster.

Local notes for Glades County, FL

Glades is a small, rural county, so don't expect the self-help center staffing you'd find in larger Twentieth Circuit counties like Collier or Lee. The clerk's office is your main point of contact. FloridaLawHelp.org offers useful statewide guidance on forms when local materials fall short.

Glades shares administrative and duty-judge infrastructure with Hendry County under the Twentieth Circuit. Scheduling and case management practices for Hendry often apply here too. When in doubt, ask the clerk directly instead of assuming based on a neighboring county's page.

If your case involves minor children, both parents must still complete the statewide Parent Education and Family Stabilization Course. County size doesn't change this requirement.

Official divorce resources in Glades County, FL

Glades County Courthouse handles divorce filings, located at 500 Avenue J, Suite 102, Moore Haven 33471. Phone: (863) 946-6010.

E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com/. The Florida Courts E-Filing Portal is available statewide; county-specific paper filing notes for Glades were not confirmed on the clerk's site.

Glades Clerk Family Law (https://www.ca.cjis20.org/About-The-Court/Locations/) can help with procedure and paperwork. The Glades Clerk's Family Law page states that forms and packets are available in the Clerk's office for a fee but does not publish the amount, and no dedicated self-help center URL was found. Call (863) 946-6010 to ask what is available before visiting. Admin. Order 1.16 (Court-Ordered Mediation in Circuit Civil, Family, Dependency & County Court Civil Cases) applies; see https://www.ca.cjis20.org/Documents/admin-orders.aspx.

• Twentieth Judicial Circuit - Court Locations
• Twentieth Judicial Circuit - Administrative Orders
• Florida Courts E-Filing Portal
• FloridaLawHelp.org

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

Glades County, FL Divorce FAQs