Updated August 2026
Family Court Motions and Hearings in Bay County, Florida
A plain-language guide to asking for a family court hearing in Bay County, FL, from the motion you file at the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Bay County to deadlines and what to expect, prepared without hiring an attorney.
File a family law motion or petition for hearing in Bay County with the Clerk at the Bay County Courthouse, 300 E 4th St in Panama City. The current fee is $397.50 for a dissolution of marriage or annulment. Bay's Clerk runs its own Family Law division page directly. Some smaller Fourteenth Circuit counties instead route filers straight to the circuit's shared forms library.
The Fourteenth Judicial Circuit publishes a searchable, filterable administrative orders archive by year and court. It lists Bay County Court alongside Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, and Washington. This is a more structured public record than several neighboring circuits post.
The circuit's approved family law forms include a Motion to Appear by Telephone. That means a telephonic appearance is at least an option for certain hearings. Whether a specific request gets granted depends on the assigned judge and the type of hearing.
Bay accepts filings through the statewide Florida Courts E-Filing Portal at myflcourtaccess.com. The site doesn't publish how a hearing date and time gets assigned, so after filing, contact the Clerk's Family Law division or the assigned judicial assistant to ask about scheduling.
Where hearings are held in Bay County, FL
Family court hearings in Bay County, FL are held at the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Bay County, with the county seat in Panama City. Because courtroom assignments, remote appearance options, and local procedures change over time, use the Florida court clerk directory to confirm current details:
Find the Bay County, FL Clerk of Court (Florida court clerk directory)
How a family court hearing works in Florida
In Florida, a party who wants the court to decide something while a family case is pending, such as temporary time-sharing, temporary support, or exclusive use of the home, files a written motion under the Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure. Motions for temporary financial relief generally require a current Financial Affidavit (Florida Supreme Court approved family law form 12.902(b) or 12.902(c)). The core steps are:
- File a written motion stating the relief you are asking for, with a current Financial Affidavit if money or support is at issue.
- Serve the motion on the other party or their attorney.
- Coordinate a hearing date, following your circuit's local procedure for setting family law motions (some circuits use a uniform motion calendar; others require you to contact the judicial assistant).
- Attend mediation first if your circuit requires it for contested family law motions.
- Attend the hearing and receive the court's order.
Local notes for Bay County, FL
Bay's own Family Law page and fees page are more developed than what several other Fourteenth Circuit counties post locally. Start there before falling back on the circuit's shared forms library. Both draw from the same statewide 12.9xx form series.
If your hearing type allows it, file the Motion to Appear by Telephone alongside your motion, especially for a routine matter. Confirm with the Clerk or judicial assistant whether the assigned judge grants telephonic appearances before you count on it.
A Bay family case can still go to mediation before a contested hearing under statewide Fla. Stat. 44.102 and Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.740. Rule 12.490 lets certain matters go to a general magistrate instead of a circuit judge. The statewide framework doesn't set a Bay-specific mediation fee, so ask about cost if you get referred.
Official hearing resources in Bay County, FL
Bay County Courthouse handles hearings filings, located at 300 E 4th St, Panama City 32401.
The filing fee is $397.50. E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. Florida Courts E-Filing Portal, statewide for the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit.
Bay County Clerk Family Law (https://www.baycoclerk.com/court-divisions/family-law/) can help with procedure and paperwork. Clerk hosts its own Family Law division page directly, separate from the Fourteenth Circuit's shared family law forms page that some smaller circuit counties route to.
- Bay County Clerk of Court
- Family Law, Bay County Clerk
- Family Law Forms, Fourteenth Judicial Circuit
- Administrative Court Orders, Fourteenth Judicial Circuit
- Florida Courts E-Filing Portal
Local details reviewed August 2026. Offices and locations can change, so confirm with the official sites above before you file.
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Bay County, FL Family Court Hearing FAQs
Where do I file a family law motion in Bay County?
File with the Clerk's Family Law division at the Bay County Courthouse, 300 E 4th St, Panama City FL 32401. You can also file electronically through myflcourtaccess.com, the statewide e-filing portal for the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit.
How much does it cost to file for dissolution or a family motion in Bay County?
The current fee is $397.50 for dissolution of marriage or annulment. A motion in an already-open case may cost a different amount, so confirm the exact cost with the Clerk before you file.
Can I appear by phone for a family hearing in Bay County?
The Fourteenth Circuit's approved forms include a Motion to Appear by Telephone, so you can at least request a telephonic appearance. Approval depends on the assigned judge and the hearing type, so ask before you assume it will go through.
How do I look up administrative orders that affect Bay County family cases?
The Fourteenth Judicial Circuit publishes a searchable administrative orders directory, filterable by year and by court, including Bay County Court. It's more organized than what many neighboring circuits post.
Will my Bay County family case go to mediation before a hearing?
It can. Statewide Fla. Stat. 44.102 and Family Law Rule of Procedure 12.740 authorize mediation referral in contested family matters. The Bay Clerk doesn't publish a mediation fee schedule beyond the statewide framework, so ask about cost if you get referred.
How do I find out when my Bay County hearing is scheduled?
Bay and the Fourteenth Circuit don't publish a scheduling process for this. After filing, contact the Clerk's Family Law division or your assigned judicial assistant to ask how and when a hearing date will be set.
This page is general information about Florida family court hearing procedure in Bay County, FL, not legal advice for your situation. Deadlines, local rules, and courtroom procedures change; always confirm current details with the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Bay County or the official Florida family court self-help program resources. Virdix is not a law firm and is not a substitute for an attorney.
Hearing guides for nearby counties
Preparing for a hearing in Bay County, FL
Virdix guides you through the Florida Supreme Court approved family law forms your hearing needs, so your paperwork is complete and consistent before you file.
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