Filing for Divorce in Jefferson County, Florida

Jefferson County is one of Florida's smallest counties by population. Divorce cases are filed with the Jefferson County Clerk of the Circuit Court at the single county courthouse, 1 Courthouse Circle in Monticello. There is no branch courthouse or annex. Every family filing in Jefferson goes through this one location.

The clerk's Family Law page is unusually well stocked for a small county. It offers downloadable petitions for divorce with children, divorce without children or property, and a dedicated Simplified Dissolution of Marriage petition. All of these are hosted directly on the clerk's own site, so filers don't need to visit the statewide forms library.

The standard dissolution filing fee in Jefferson is reported around $408, matching the pattern at several neighboring First and Second Circuit clerks. The clerk's site does not publish a dedicated Jefferson fee schedule page, so call the clerk's office to confirm the exact current amount before filing.

Jefferson also participates in the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal at myflcourtaccess.com. This gives self-represented filers an electronic option alongside the in-person counter at the Monticello courthouse.

Where you file in Jefferson County, FL

Divorce cases in Jefferson County, FL are handled by the Second Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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 Jefferson County, FL

Fla. Stat. 61.21's parenting course requirement applies in Jefferson just as it does statewide. Both parents in a case involving minor children must complete an approved course and file proof of completion before a judge enters a final judgment covering those children.

Contested Jefferson divorces generally fall under Florida's mediation referral rule, Fla. Stat. 61.183, with fees set on the state's income-based scale in Fla. Stat. 44.108. The clerk's site does not publish a Jefferson- or Second Circuit-specific fee table, so ask the clerk's office for the current mediation cost once a case is referred.

Jefferson runs a single courthouse with a relatively lean staff compared to larger counties. Call ahead before visiting in person, especially for anything time-sensitive like a hearing date or mediation referral, to avoid an unnecessary trip to Monticello.

Jefferson's compact size cuts both ways for a self-represented filer. There is only one office to deal with, so there's no confusion about which branch handles a given case. But that same office has fewer staff than a larger circuit's clerk operation, so filing and processing can take a little longer than in neighboring Leon County.

Official divorce resources in Jefferson County, FL

Jefferson County Courthouse handles divorce filings, located at 1 Courthouse Circle, Monticello 32344.

The filing fee is $408. E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, statewide.

Jefferson Clerk Family Law Self-Help Packets (https://www.jeffersonclerk.com/court-services/family-law/) can help with procedure and paperwork. Includes downloadable divorce petitions with and without children or property, a Simplified Dissolution of Marriage petition, injunction forms, and name-change petitions.

• Jefferson County Clerk of Court
• Family Law Self-Help Packets
• 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.

Jefferson County, FL Divorce FAQs