Filing for Divorce in St. Johns County, Florida

St. Johns County divorce cases are filed and heard at the Richard O. Watson Judicial Center, 4010 Lewis Speedway in St. Augustine, the historic county seat. The Clerk's Family Division handles intake for the whole county from that one building; reach it at familydl@stjohnsclerk.com or (904) 819-3600.

A St. Johns County dissolution of marriage proceeds under Chapter 61 of the Florida Statutes. The clerk's Family Law page confirms that at least one spouse must meet Florida's six-month residency requirement before filing, and the petition must assert the marriage is irretrievably broken. Couples with no minor or dependent children, no pregnancy, and agreement on property and debts can use simplified dissolution on Florida Supreme Court Form 12.901(a), signed together before a deputy clerk.

Unlike most Seventh Circuit counties, St. Johns does not publish a specific dollar filing fee on its clerk site. Multiple pages, including the Petition for Dissolution of Marriage form itself, mention a filing fee without stating the amount. Call the Family Division at (904) 819-3600 to confirm the current total before filing; do not assume it matches a neighboring county.

St. Johns also offers TurboCourt, an interview-based online tool that guides a self-represented filer through generating the required Supreme Court forms, in addition to the clerk's own paper Forms Library.

Where you file in St. Johns County, FL

Divorce cases in St. Johns County, FL are handled by the Seventh Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, St. Johns 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 St. Johns 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 St. Johns County, FL

Beyond the forms themselves, St. Johns points self-represented filers to TurboCourt for an interview-based document builder, or to the paper Forms Library maintained by the clerk. For logistics questions, such as where to file or how many copies to bring, email the Family Division at familydl@stjohnsclerk.com.

St. Johns shares the Seventh Circuit's judge-discretionary mediation policy with Flagler, Putnam, and Volusia counties under Administrative Order FM-2012-027-SC. A judge may refer an appropriate case to mediation, with fees of $60 to $120 per person per session depending on combined household income, and mediation is free for indigent parties.

Parents of minor children still need a completed, state-approved parenting course certificate from the Department of Children and Families' statewide provider list before a St. Johns County judge will finalize the case.

Official divorce resources in St. Johns County, FL

Richard O. Watson Judicial Center handles divorce filings, located at 4010 Lewis Speedway, St. Augustine 32084. Phone: (904) 819-3600.

E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. stjohnsclerk.com's Family Law page links directly to the Florida Courts E-Filing Portal and to TurboCourt for interview-based form generation; self-represented parties may also use the Clerk's paper Forms Library.

St. Johns Clerk Family Division page (https://stjohnsclerk.com/court-records/family-law/) can help with procedure and paperwork. Contact familydl@stjohnsclerk.com; states the 6-month Florida residency requirement and links to the Forms Library and TurboCourt for self-represented litigants.

• St. Johns County Clerk of Court
• St. Johns Clerk Family Division page
• Seventh Circuit Administrative Order FM-2012-027-SC
• Florida Courts E-Filing Portal
• DCF Parenting Course Providers

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

St. Johns County, FL Divorce FAQs