Family Court Motions and Hearings in Broward County, Florida

A family law motion filed in Broward County doesn't get an automatic hearing date the moment it's submitted. Case managers with the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit review each case after it reaches the Clerk. If the case is ready to move forward, they set it on the first available docket, and both parties are notified by mail or email rather than through any self-service scheduling tool.

Broward spreads its court operations across four locations: the Central Courthouse in downtown Fort Lauderdale, and regional courthouses in Deerfield Beach, Plantation, and Hollywood. All four generally operate weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Which one hosts a specific family hearing depends on the case, so check the notice of hearing instead of assuming the downtown courthouse by default.

Some Broward family motions skip a judge entirely and go to a general magistrate, an attorney appointed to hear cases referred by a judge and act in a quasi-judicial capacity. A magistrate issues a recommendation, not a final ruling, and both parties have to agree before a case can go to one instead of a judge.

During case management conferences, a Broward judge may also refer contested family issues to mediation to try to resolve them before a full hearing. Whether that happens depends on the assigned division and the nature of the dispute.

Where hearings are held in Broward County, FL

Family court hearings in Broward County, FL are held at the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, Broward County, with the county seat in Fort Lauderdale. Because courtroom assignments, remote appearance options, and local procedures change over time, use the Florida court clerk directory to confirm current details:

Find the Broward 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:

1. File a written motion stating the relief you are asking for, with a current Financial Affidavit if money or support is at issue.
2. Serve the motion on the other party or their attorney.
3. 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).
4. Attend mediation first if your circuit requires it for contested family law motions.
5. Attend the hearing and receive the court's order.

Local notes for Broward County, FL

Because Broward's case managers control when a motion actually gets set on the docket, expect some lag between filing and receiving a hearing notice by mail or email, rather than a same-day or next-day hearing date.

With four courthouse locations spread across the county, downtown Fort Lauderdale, Deerfield Beach, Plantation, and Hollywood, read the notice of hearing carefully for the exact address. A case's filing location doesn't necessarily match where a specific hearing will be held.

If a general magistrate is proposed for your case, remember both parties must agree to that arrangement before it can happen. If you'd rather have a circuit judge hear the matter, raise that directly with the assigned division.

Official hearing resources in Broward County, FL

Broward County Courthouse (Central Courthouse) handles hearings filings, located at 201 SE 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale 33301. North Regional Courthouse at Deerfield Beach, FL handles Confirm with the clerk which family matters are heard here versus downtown.. West Regional Courthouse at Plantation, FL handles Confirm with the clerk which family matters are heard here versus downtown.. South Regional Courthouse at Hollywood, FL handles Confirm with the clerk which family matters are heard here versus downtown..

The filing fee is $409. E-filing is available through https://www.myflcourtaccess.com. Family filings are also handled through the Broward Clerk's Family division at the Central Courthouse.

Court Forms and Pro Se resources (https://www.17th.flcourts.org/family-court-faqs/) can help with procedure and paperwork. Family Court FAQs page and a downloadable Pro Se checklist cover general procedure; no dedicated Broward self-help center URL was located, though standard operating hours across the four courthouse locations are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

• Seventeenth Judicial Circuit - Family Court FAQs
• Seventeenth Judicial Circuit - Mediation and Arbitration FAQs
• Broward County Clerk of the Circuit and County Courts
• 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.

Broward County, FL Family Court Hearing FAQs