Filing for Divorce in Martin County, Florida

You file divorce cases in Martin County with the Martin County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller. Cases are heard at the Martin County Courthouse in Stuart, under the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida. This circuit also covers Indian River, Okeechobee, and St. Lucie counties. If you're representing yourself and have questions about the local filing process, call the Clerk's Stuart courthouse office at (772) 288-5576. The clerk's site does not list a separate direct line for a Domestic Relations Division.

Every Florida dissolution of marriage case follows the same rules under Florida Statutes chapter 61. That includes the six-month residency requirement and the standard set of Florida Supreme Court approved forms, no matter which county you file in. What changes locally is where and how you file, and what paid or optional help is available.

The Martin County clerk sells physical divorce form packets for $0.15 per page, for filers who want paper copies. The clerk also notes TurboCourt, a third-party paid online service, as one optional way to prepare court forms for a $10.40 fee. Neither option is required. You can skip both and e-file directly through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal.

Martin County sits in the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, so its mediation program and parenting course standing order work the same way as in the circuit's other three counties. Mediation is open to parties earning a combined $100,000 or less per year, and it currently runs remotely. Any case with minor children requires both parents to complete a parent education course before final judgment.

Where you file in Martin County, FL

Divorce cases in Martin County, FL are handled by the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Martin 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 Martin 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 Martin County, FL

Call the Clerk's Stuart courthouse office at (772) 288-5576 with procedural questions about filing in Martin County. The clerk's site does not list a dedicated self-help center like the larger circuits have, or a separate direct line for a Domestic Relations Division.

The clerk's filing fee to open a dissolution of marriage case in Martin County generally runs around $408. Confirm the current figure with the Martin County Clerk before filing. If you can't afford it, ask about an Application for Determination of Civil Indigent Status under Fla. Stat. 57.082.

The clerk sells paper form packets at $0.15 per page. If you'd rather prepare forms online, TurboCourt is available for a separate $10.40 fee, though it's optional, not required. If your case involves minor children, both parents need to complete the Nineteenth Circuit's required parent education course. If you and your spouse can't agree on every issue, ask about the circuit's family mediation program at (772) 807-4370.

Official divorce resources in Martin County, FL

Martin County Courthouse handles divorce filings, located at 100 SE Ocean Boulevard, Stuart 34994. Phone: (772) 288-5576.

The filing fee is $408. E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. Florida Courts E-Filing Portal available for self-represented filers as an alternative to filing paper forms in person.

Martin County Clerk Domestic Relations Division (https://www.martinclerk.com) can help with procedure and paperwork. No dedicated self-help center comparable to the larger circuits was located. The Clerk's Stuart courthouse office can be reached at (772) 288-5576; a separate direct line for a Domestic Relations Division was not confirmed. Form packets are sold by the clerk at $0.15 per page, and TurboCourt, a separate paid third-party form-preparation service, is offered as one optional way to prepare forms for a $10.40 fee, though it is not required.

• Martin County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller
• Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Family Division
• Florida Courts E-Filing Portal
• Fla. Stat. 61.031 - Simplified dissolution of marriage

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

Martin County, FL Divorce FAQs